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Post by Silver on Oct 15, 2024 13:41:38 GMT -5
I've started this thread to share my experiences/successes/failures in my garden. If anyone wants to share their experiences or advise, I'd enjoy reading about it.
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Post by Silver on Oct 15, 2024 13:52:09 GMT -5
Over that past few months I've spent a lot of time tending my garden. I've had mostly success with the vegetables, flowers and shrubs. Things are rapidly winding down, most of the vegetables are done, and the large garden boxes have been cleaned out. I still have a couple garden boxes with pepper plants and beans. I'm also trying to grow some lettuce and radishes before winter shuts everything down. I'm also getting flower and shrub beds cleaned up for the winter. I'm emptying the many flower pots slowly. I've rounded up the tropical plants to overwinter inside. I'm also taking a couple rosemary plants and a couple other things inside. I'd say I'm about 50% ready for the winter.ill finish everything up by the end of the month, if not sooner. Looking forward to reading about your garden.
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Post by Darin on Oct 15, 2024 14:12:06 GMT -5
It's difficult to have a garden here due to temps, lack of moisture and hungry animals. We do have one large raised bed that's completely fenced in and had luck with some tomatillos the last couple years.
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Post by urbino on Oct 15, 2024 17:24:10 GMT -5
Sounds to me like you've got yourself quite a hobby, there, Pete. Plenty to keep you busy except in winter. I've found that people who like to garden love to garden. It can be almost a spiritual experience. My dad is that way. Glad you've got something so fulfilling.
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Post by Silver on Oct 15, 2024 18:28:35 GMT -5
Sounds to me like you've got yourself quite a hobby, there, Pete. Plenty to keep you busy except in winter. I've found that people who like to garden love to garden. It can be almost a spiritual experience. My dad is that way. Glad you've got something so fulfilling. Even in winter. There are potted plants that I bring in to overwinter. They don't go dormant and live under lights, so i have to tend to them. I have also started veg and flower seeds in the basement under lights. It's been a few years, but I think I'll resume doing that. I have a larger choice of what to grow than what varieties are available, even at a large nursery. Besides, I need to keep busy with something in the winter. |
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Post by trailboss on Oct 16, 2024 0:33:17 GMT -5
A pretty cool hobby, here in the southwest, some people I know fire up the gardens this time of year, at some point I would like to try it but being out of town as much as I am precludes me from doing so.
In the future, I hope to take some classes that are offered locally, it is hard to beat homegrown produce if you can pull it off.
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Post by Silver on Oct 16, 2024 14:51:01 GMT -5
The front yard planting beds are all ready for their winter nap. Continued emptying pots and baskets. The only remaining are on the back porch and deck. I'd like hang onto a little color. I've trimmed down some shrubby plants that were starting to crowd other plants. They may need to be dug up entirely in the spring. I'm also starting to scrutinize the plantings through the whole garden, to decide what needs to be divided, transplanted, trimmed or eliminated.
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Post by trailboss on Oct 16, 2024 19:39:46 GMT -5
The front yard planting beds are all ready for their winter nap. Continued emptying pots and baskets. The only remaining are on the back porch and deck. I'd like hang onto a little color. I've trimmed down some shrubby plants that were starting to crowd other plants. They may need to be dug up entirely in the spring. I'm also starting to scrutinize the plantings through the whole garden, to decide what needs to be divided, transplanted, trimmed or eliminated. Well it certainly sounds like you have a good handle on it. |
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Post by Silver on Oct 17, 2024 12:05:21 GMT -5
From the garden today: a handful of green beans and a dozen and a half each of banana and Hungarian peppers. There a still a few smaller peppers on the plants, but I'm calling it a season. I've got to clean out the boxes and prep them for next year.
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Post by Silver on Oct 17, 2024 16:05:46 GMT -5
Fairly busy day today. Picked the last of the peppers and cleaned out those garden boxes. They are ready for shredded leaves and compost. I think the beans and Habaneros go tomorrow. That will finish off the veg garden until next spring.
I limbed up a couple large shrubs in a corner where two parts of an ornamental bed meet. Really opens up that area for new plantings next season.
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Post by urbino on Oct 17, 2024 17:44:01 GMT -5
Fairly busy day today. Picked the last of the peppers and cleaned out those garden boxes. They are ready for shredded leaves and compost. I think the beans and Habaneros go tomorrow. That will finish off the veg garden until next spring. I limbed up a couple large shrubs in a corner where two parts of an ornamental bed meet. Really opens up that area for new plantings next season. One of my neighbors has had some guys trimming limbs off a big oak tree all afternoon. It needed it. A lot of dangerous looking dead limbs in it. |
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Post by Silver on Oct 18, 2024 12:33:00 GMT -5
More winter prep and planning for next season. Picked some Habanero chiles and removed the plants. The oregano and chives were overgrown in one of the beds, dug up and divided them. Overwintering in one of the big garden boxes. Giving them to son and son-in-law. I'm left with smaller and more manageable clumps. More room for new plants in that bed next spring. I'm very happy with the burning bush that I limbed up yesterday. It gives that bed a more open, airy look. I've got another one on the other side of the yard that will get the same treatment. In terms of vegetables, all I've got left are the green beans. I'll let them go just a little longer.
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Post by Silver on Oct 18, 2024 14:10:49 GMT -5
Limbed up that other burning bush. Looks good. The pile of branches, not so much!
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Post by Silver on Oct 21, 2024 14:11:30 GMT -5
Except for the pole beans and the garden box of radish and lettuce (I don't know if I'll get anything from that), the veg garden is cleaned out and ready for the winter. I will be adding shredded leaves, grass clippings and composted manure to the boxes and containers.
I spent some time in one of the ornamental beds, cutting down plants that are transplant candidates in the spring. I also dug out some lilies. Not sure if I'm keeping them. Making room for new stuff next year.
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Post by Silver on Oct 22, 2024 11:05:45 GMT -5
Picked the last of the green beans. The vines are yellowing and drying out. Time to pull them. All that's left is that box of lettuce, arugula and radishes. They don't seem to be doing much. Continuing to clean out the ornamental beds for winter. I'm making mental notes of what's to be dug up and transplanted in the spring. I think I more plants than room for them. I'm gonna need another garden box, or some sort of large container for more vegetables next year.
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Post by Silver on Oct 22, 2024 14:36:27 GMT -5
This afternoon, I limbed up/cut back some shrubs along a fence. Tomorrow, I'll remove some of the ground cover in that same bed and clean it up for some new plants in the spring. There are a couple squirrels inspecting the changes I've made to their playground.
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Post by urbino on Oct 22, 2024 16:52:59 GMT -5
This afternoon, I limbed up/cut back some shrubs along a fence. Tomorrow, I'll remove some of the ground cover in that same bed and clean it up for some new plants in the spring. There are a couple squirrels inspecting the changes I've made to their playground. Don’t get crossways with the squirrels. They hold grudges. |
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Post by trailboss on Oct 22, 2024 17:59:24 GMT -5
Everytime I see “In the Garden” I think of “In the Navy” by the Village People.
With all the varieties of vegetables, fruits, and processes involved Pete, the possibilities are limitless with a little thought on the Lyrics.
You could be the next Weird Al Yankovic…bet it would go viral.
You have all winter to work on it Mister Phelps… should you fail the mission, the Briar Patch will disavow any knowledge of it.
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Post by Ronv69 on Oct 23, 2024 13:50:58 GMT -5
Everytime I see “In the Garden” I think of “In the Navy” by the Village People. With all the varieties of vegetables, fruits, and processes involved Pete, the possibilities are limitless with a little thought on the Lyrics. You could be the next Weird Al Yankovic…bet it would go viral. You have all winter to work on it Mister Phelps… should you fail the mission, the Briar Patch will disavow any knowledge of it. I always think of this. |
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Post by Silver on Oct 23, 2024 14:14:50 GMT -5
Everytime I see “In the Garden” I think of “In the Navy” by the Village People. With all the varieties of vegetables, fruits, and processes involved Pete, the possibilities are limitless with a little thought on the Lyrics. You could be the next Weird Al Yankovic…bet it would go viral. You have all winter to work on it Mister Phelps… should you fail the mission, the Briar Patch will disavow any knowledge of it. That's just weird.  |
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Post by Silver on Oct 23, 2024 15:23:45 GMT -5
Continued working on the bed I started yesterday. Ripped out most of the ground cover, leaving widely-spaced clumps to continue providing color at ground level. Cut down and cut up a couple arborvitae that were crowding a burning bush. Cut down a Rose of Sharon, because it's a self-seeding pain in the butt. This really opens up that bed and will have good all day sun in the summer. That was a lot of work, I'm glad my wife volunteered to help. I'm beat.
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Post by toshtego on Oct 23, 2024 18:11:59 GMT -5
Fairly busy day today. Picked the last of the peppers and cleaned out those garden boxes. They are ready for shredded leaves and compost. I think the beans and Habaneros go tomorrow. That will finish off the veg garden until next spring. I limbed up a couple large shrubs in a corner where two parts of an ornamental bed meet. Really opens up that area for new plantings next season. One of my neighbors has had some guys trimming limbs off a big oak tree all afternoon. It needed it. A lot of dangerous looking dead limbs in it. Later this winter I aim to take out several Siberian Elm trees, sprouted from runners. Also my apricot trees. I like to wait until deep in their winter slumber before cutting green wood. The Siberian Elm can be a great tree if all the energy goes into a single trunk as opposed to a copse. Sounds like someone your way will have nice firewood! |
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Post by trailboss on Oct 24, 2024 22:37:44 GMT -5
Everytime I see “In the Garden” I think of “In the Navy” by the Village People. With all the varieties of vegetables, fruits, and processes involved Pete, the possibilities are limitless with a little thought on the Lyrics. You could be the next Weird Al Yankovic…bet it would go viral. You have all winter to work on it Mister Phelps… should you fail the mission, the Briar Patch will disavow any knowledge of it. I always think of this. You are like my little brother. We had noisy neighbors playing crap music, my brother put the speakers towards the wall and cranked Anne Murray… true story! I asked him why not put my LP on, Ted Nugent Wango Tango. |
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Post by Silver on Oct 27, 2024 20:24:54 GMT -5
Today, I did a little shrub pruning and cutting down herbaceous plants. I'll do a little more tomorrow afternoon, then I'll only have a few pots to empty. After that, a little down time.
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Post by Silver on Oct 27, 2024 21:09:33 GMT -5
Today, I did a little shrub pruning and cutting down herbaceous plants. I'll do a little more tomorrow afternoon, then I'll only have a few pots to empty. After that, a little down time. By "down time", I mean continue to mow the lawn maybe three more times, shred leaves to add to the garden boxes, get some composted manure to add for the boxes. After that, all my gardening will be confined to reading gardening articles and seed catalogs, watching old episodes of Gardeners' World and planning for next year. |
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Post by urbino on Oct 27, 2024 21:11:12 GMT -5
Today, I did a little shrub pruning and cutting down herbaceous plants. I'll do a little more tomorrow afternoon, then I'll only have a few pots to empty. After that, a little down time. By "down time", I mean continue to mow the lawn maybe three more times, shred leaves to add to the garden boxes, get some composted manure to add for the boxes. After that, all my gardening will be confined to reading gardening articles and seed catalogs, watching old episodes of Gardeners' World and planning for next year. You're still mowing? Cripes, my grass pretty well quit growing a month ago. |
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Post by Silver on Oct 27, 2024 21:21:05 GMT -5
By "down time", I mean continue to mow the lawn maybe three more times, shred leaves to add to the garden boxes, get some composted manure to add for the boxes. After that, all my gardening will be confined to reading gardening articles and seed catalogs, watching old episodes of Gardeners' World and planning for next year. You're still mowing? Cripes, my grass pretty well quit growing a month ago. The growth has slowed considerably. These last couple mowing are just to keep it even and to get the leaves cleaned up. |
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Post by Ronv69 on Oct 27, 2024 22:21:02 GMT -5
I am putting out 200 pounds of winter rye. I will have to mow all winter, but I have to have it to improve the soil and keep the erosion down. All of Texas is not flat, despite rumors to the contrary. Got 160 landscape blocks to put around the flower beds, which will require about 15 bags of garden soil. Wife has about 250 bulbs to plant and I have 2 pawpaw trees and 2 red maples coming in next week.
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Post by Silver on Oct 27, 2024 22:29:28 GMT -5
I am putting out 200 pounds of winter rye. I will have to mow all winter, but I have to have it to improve the soil and keep the erosion down. All of Texas is not flat, despite rumors to the contrary. Got 160 landscape blocks to put around the flower beds, which will require about 15 bags of garden soil. Wife has about 250 bulbs to plant and I have 2 pawpaw trees and 2 red maples coming in next week. Sounds like you'll be busy! |
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Post by urbino on Oct 28, 2024 0:32:32 GMT -5
I am putting out 200 pounds of winter rye. I will have to mow all winter, but I have to have it to improve the soil and keep the erosion down. All of Texas is not flat, despite rumors to the contrary. Got 160 landscape blocks to put around the flower beds, which will require about 15 bags of garden soil. Wife has about 250 bulbs to plant and I have 2 pawpaw trees and 2 red maples coming in next week. Sounds like you'll be busy! Sounds like he could use a friend who likes to garden! |
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