Vegetable Garden Tips, Complaints, Concerns & Discussion

[Nobody]

Definitely. Last year I bought from a company other than Park, and I'll never make that mistake again. Nothing grew, so I had to replace it all with live plants, and by that time the humidity and heat had already set in, so it was a miserable year. I'm kicking my garden's ass this year

 

[Elephant]

You start your own stuff from seed Extreme? Knowing you as I do, I'm guessing the answer is yes

He has created his own GMO's...

I just can't wait to get a little land! I HATE living in an urban area!

I know I can grow small things...peppers and herbs, but I want to plant root veggies! I want corn that I don't have to worry if a chemical company manufactured the seed. I want to grow my own lettuce, beans! I can make my own schedule at work so I will have time to tend to it in the mornings and evenings! I just don't have any land to work with now! I was even thinking about renting a plot in a community garden, but if critters start eating my veggies, I would not be able to "fend" them off my way.

Not to mention, I want to pass along the same memories I have of being in the gardens as a boy, pulling weeds and finally seeing the finished product...

 

[Boone]

Hey Nathan - I have a TON of extra seeds - want them? I probably have 30 varieties of tomato, pepper, and eggplant. I could have them in your hands in a couple days? If you want them, pm me your address.

 

[Nobody]

Awesome. PM sent. Thanks buddy

 

[Nobody]

He has created his own GMO's...

I just can't wait to get a little land! I HATE living in an urban area!

I know I can grow small things...peppers and herbs, but I want to plant root veggies! I want corn that I don't have to worry if a chemical company manufactured the seed. I want to grow my own lettuce, beans! I can make my own schedule at work so I will have time to tend to it in the mornings and evenings! I just don't have any land to work with now! I was even thinking about renting a plot in a community garden, but if critters start eating my veggies, I would not be able to "fend" them off my way.

Not to mention, I want to pass along the same memories I have of being in the gardens as a boy, pulling weeds and finally seeing the finished product...

Growing lettuce is a hassle, but the finished product is worth it. Where I'm at, you have to fight the constant battle against rabbits, slugs, ants and humidity, so the time put in makes it one of those things I only grow if I'm feeling particularly stupid when planting time comes around

When you say you're in an urban area, how urban? I designed some boxes to grow root veggies for a friend up in Fairfax who lives in a condo, and she said it works great. If you have somewhere to put a box that's 18" x 48", I can draw up some plans and send them to you and put together a supply list too so you can make a place to grow at least a little bit. I can up or downscale it too depending on your available space.

 

[Boone]

I don't grow a lot of greens, mainly because they are so cheap and easy to buy at the grocery, it just doesn't seem worth the hassle to grow at home. I make an exception for swiss chard, as I love it, it's very productive, and can take the summer heat. I do love growing cabbage, collards, and kale in the fall. I'll give you a great hint - to keep pests/slugs/etc..from eating your greens, get some diatomaceous earth. The 'diatoms' in it are like little razor blades and will lacerate anything trying to crawl over your greens. It's non-toxic, other than that you want to wash your greens well before using. Great biologically-safe solution. You can buy it commercially in most garden stores.

 

[Boone]

I designed some boxes to grow root veggies for a friend up in Fairfax who lives in a condo, and she said it works great. If you have somewhere to put a box that's 18" x 48", I can draw up some plans and send them to you and put together a supply list too so you can make a place to grow at least a little bit. I can up or downscale it too depending on your available space.

One vegetable I've never grown before is beets. Although I've worked hard to develop good soil here in red clay NC, I will probably build a raised bed/box for my beets. Just haven't had a lot of luck with root vegetables with my soil. I like rutabagas too (great mashed) so may give those a try as well.

 

[Nobody]

I don't grow a lot of greens, mainly because they are so cheap and easy to buy at the grocery, it just doesn't seem worth the hassle to grow at home. I make an exception for swiss chard, as I love it, it's very productive, and can take the summer heat. I do love growing cabbage, collards, and kale in the fall. I'll give you a great hint - to keep pests/slugs/etc..from eating your greens, get some diatomaceous earth. The 'diatoms' in it are like little razor blades and will lacerate anything trying to crawl over your greens. It's non-toxic, other than that you want to wash your greens well before using. Great biologically-safe solution. You can buy it commercially in most garden stores.

Trust me, I'm going all in on this stuff this year. When you told me about it last year, I put in my order for some from the seed/soil/feed/etc distributor up the road. After the catastrophe I had last year, I will be out there after bugs with a blowtorch this year if I have to. Does this do good on squash/stink bugs too? We have an epidemic of those bastards here, and they flock to my stuff like it has gold inside and wipe it out in a week. I have failed to defeat them yet, but it's at the top of my list this season.

I agree about the chards and collards though. They are must haves every year.

 

[Nobody]

Brian, I found a solution to your root vegetable growing problem......

[media]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xFebNLKuILc/T2uZMD9NoKI/AAAAAAAAANQ/Ty_BsjZRj6g/s1600/2012-03-22+15.35.18.jpg[/media]

They sell them at Walmart for about $12.

 

[Elephant]

Nathan, that's part of what I am trying to avoid, the "WalMart" seeds. Monsanto is buying up seed companies these days so you have to be careful where you get the seeds. WalMart is a purchaser of Monsanto foods.

 

[Nobody]

Nathan, that's part of what I am trying to avoid, the "WalMart" seeds. Monsanto is buying up seed companies these days so you have to be careful where you get the seeds. WalMart is a purchaser of Monsanto foods.

I wouldn't use the garbage that comes with it, I was more promoting the idea of the pot. Any time I buy something like that, I always throw out the seeds, because they aren't even certified.

Park Seed is by far the best source overall. Park Seed was rumored for a while to be Monsanto seeds, but after plenty of money spent, and proving their claims, every reputable list of Monsanto seeds removed them, along with Burpee and a few others, from the Monsanto list. Makes me think someone got trigger happy and just started listing every big company as Monsanto.

 

[Boone]

72 little tomato plants, all in a row...

 

[Nobody]

It's a thing of beauty

 

[Boone]

Tomato, eggplant, and pepper plants doing just fine thank you very much!

 

[Nobody]

Do you plant 3-4 per hill, or do you just have a massive garden?

 

[Boone]

I wouldn't call it 'massive' - but I grow a LOT of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant (as well as pole beans, okra, pickling cukes, and a few other things). Grew extra seedlings this year because I am helping my neighbor move our huge swingset over to his yard and am putting in raised beds where that was located. I also grow a lot of stuff on trellises, to save space.

 

[Anne The Fan]

Tomato, eggplant, and pepper plants doing just fine thank you very much!

Very nice, Boone. You must have lots of space and sun, you lucky guy.

 

[Nobody]

The problem I have, is plenty of space but only half of it gets sun because of my house. Just as luck would have it, the split level upstairs and the balcony are in the absolute worst spot, and in direct line of the sun once it gets past about 3 in the Summer. I wanted to move my garden toward the back where it stays in the sun, but then I run the risk of getting a tropical system that floods the canal up and over it, which would make me cry.

 

[Boone]

Very nice, Boone. You must have lots of space and sun, you lucky guy.

You'd be surprised how much I fit into a small space. 'Small' probably isn't accurate, but it's smaller than you might imagine

Before I get these in the ground, I'll be taking down some trees on the eastern side of my garden that have gone from saplings to sun-blocking-monsters over the past few years. I dread paying someone to take them down, but I don't have any chain-saw skills, and there's not much room for margin of error where they sit. I am seriously considering just asking my tree guys to take them down and leave them where they lie as I'm sure it's much cheaper that way.

If anyone has any experience in such things, lemme know. Either that, or I pay Extreme $1000 for a roadtrip and a day's work with a chainsaw

 

[Boone]

Very nice, Boone. You must have lots of space and sun, you lucky guy.

Btw - it's GREAT to see you - haven't seen you around of late. Get ready for a brand new BGO Anne....