Vegetable Garden Tips, Complaints, Concerns & Discussion

[Nobody]

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

I was about to ask you how big the trees were and their position to structures

Unless they're too big, there is a very practical solution to falling trees without hitting anything. Something I figured out 15 years ago when my boss almost killed me with a 20 ft cherry tree.

Edit: $1000 to take down some trees? I'm there yesterday

It scares me though, I'm starting to wonder if you have a forest of 50ft+ trees that haven't been saplings for 30 years, and your story isn't as accurate as you make it out to be

 

[Fear The Spear]

Does anyone here have Aloe plants ?
I started growing them last summer, and used up all the big stalks for food.
But now, I'm at a standstill.
They've grown back to a certain point and a certain size (quite under-sized) and won't grow any bigger. Something is stunting their growth.
Strange thing is, they are not dying, but they are neither growing beyond a certain point, either. They also continue to multiply with new little aloe plants breeding along-side, but they each stop growing at a certain point, much smaller than they used to, when the plant was originally given to me by a friend last summer. I am in the Florida climate, which obviously doesn't get too cold even in the winter, so I assumed between that mild climate, and the fact that aloe plants are supposed to be very adaptable to different climates, that they should still thrive through a Florida winter.
Is it really the cooler climate that's slowing down the growth, or something else - like something I'm not doing, or am doing, that's wrong ?

 

[Boone]

Did you say you used the stalks for FOOD? Aloe is edible? Who knew...

 

[Fear The Spear]

Not only edible, but EXTREMELY healthy.
It's not just for topical use. Aloe has a ton of health benefits when taken internally.
I put it in my smoothie.

 

[Nobody]

Does anyone here have Aloe plants ?
I started growing them last summer, and used up all the big stalks for food.
But now, I'm at a standstill.
They've grown back to a certain point and a certain size (quite under-sized) and won't grow any bigger. Something is stunting their growth.
Strange thing is, they are not dying, but they are neither growing beyond a certain point, either. They also continue to multiply with new little aloe plants breeding along-side, but they each stop growing at a certain point, much smaller than they used to, when the plant was originally given to me by a friend last summer. I am in the Florida climate, which obviously doesn't get too cold even in the winter, so I assumed between that mild climate, and the fact that aloe plants are supposed to be very adaptable to different climates, that they should still thrive through a Florida winter.
Is it really the cooler climate that's slowing down the growth, or something else - like something I'm not doing, or am doing, that's wrong ?

I don't know what your current setup is, but one of the things I'm about to tell you should make a light bulb go off, because they can all cause your problem.

If they're in pots, put them in the ground, because they hate being confined. If they're in the sun, put the in the shade, because they hate the sun. If you have a cluster of them growing together, separate them, because each one needs an area 3 times its size to develop roots or they choke each other out. They have what is called a vegetation period, and that period is only 6 months long no matter where you live. So whatever 6 month period they were doing good last year, that same time period will be when they ramp up this year. Here in Virginia, it's April-October, so down there shouldn't be too much different. If your soil doesn't drain well, rip them out and put some pea gravel in the holes (a few inches deep) and replant them. If you water them, stop. They only need to be watered 1-2 times a month, and any more than that is too often. If it rains more than twice a month, you never need to water them. Fertilize them 1-2 times a month with low nitrogen fertilizer until the end of the summer. Also, make sure you heavily dilute the mixture at around a 1:5 ratio.

I know this sounds overwhelming, but it's second nature once you learn it, and they require very little care other than fertilization.

And Boone, the flavor is an acquired taste. To me, it tastes like a cross between collards and acid reflux

 

[Fear The Spear]

If they're in pots, put them in the ground, because they hate being confined. If they're in the sun, put the in the shade, because they hate the sun. If you have a cluster of them growing together, separate them, because each one needs an area 3 times its size to develop roots or they choke each other out. They have what is called a vegetation period, and that period is only 6 months long no matter where you live. So whatever 6 month period they were doing good last year, that same time period will be when they ramp up this year. Here in Virginia, it's April-October, so down there shouldn't be too much different. If your soil doesn't drain well, rip them out and put some pea gravel in the holes (a few inches deep) and replant them. If you water them, stop. They only need to be watered 1-2 times a month, and any more than that is too often. If it rains more than twice a month, you never need to water them. Fertilize them 1-2 times a month with low nitrogen fertilizer until the end of the summer. Also, make sure you heavily dilute the mixture at around a 1:5 ratio.

Yea, that definitely exposed some errors, thanks. What about soil ? Do you just use the ground soil, or fill the hole with a special type of soil from the gardening store ?

And Boone, the flavor is an acquired taste. To me, it tastes like a cross between collards and acid reflux

I personally think they most resemble eating boogars from a runny nose, but then again, like most foods I eat, I don't eat it for the taste, but for the health benefits. And like I said, I usually mix it in a smoothie, so that tones down the taste.

 

[Snydershrugged]

Woke up this morning to dashed plans for tilling. This was to be my only chance to get a good tilling done before leaving on vacation, not will need to somehow squeeze it in while working. Freaking rain, I like it when we need it for the plants but it sure is inconvenient on the weekends.

On a positive note, I have sprouts for just about everything we will plant now and all should go in the ground in a couple more weeks. Going very heavy on 3 different types of heirloom sweet peppers that a friend provided us seeds for (I taste tested them last season and OMG, incredible!). Staying totally away from corn and potatoes. I can never get them to grow well here for some reason.

 

[Boone]

It's that clay soil I have learned from experience, never to plant before 15 April at the earliest as we always have a late cold snap or two. I bought a new tiller yesterday (Husqvarna with a Honda engine) so I'll also be getting my ground ready over the next couple of weeks. I hate to have to do it, but my tomato plants have gotten so big already that I'm going to have to repot them in beer cups this weekend.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Just planted our herb garden on the patio! We'll see if I inherited my mom's green thumb or my dad's poison thumb.
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[Goaldeje]

Planted some Strawberries today. We had some in Richmond and the kids loved them, so I thought I would get some going here. I already warned them that it may take a year or two to get going, but once they take off, it's more trouble to tame them than anything else.

Going to go for some Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts and Tomatoes this year. Starting small in the new place.

 

[Nobody]

Planted some Strawberries today. We had some in Richmond and the kids loved them, so I thought I would get some going here. I already warned them that it may take a year or two to get going, but once they take off, it's more trouble to tame them than anything else.

Going to go for some Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts and Tomatoes this year. Starting small in the new place.

I love growing strawberries. Have you ever grown broccoli or cauliflower before? If not, there are some very important things to know to keep your crop from going to hell right when it gets going good.

 

[Goaldeje]

Yeah, a few times. We had a pretty big garden going in Richmond when we left, and grew all kinds of things. We haven't been sure if we are going to stay in the current house or not (and still don't know, really), but figure why not?

 

[Huly]

What are the best items to plant in pots on a deck?

I normally do herbs (basil, cilantro (which starts well ends badly), rosemary, thyme) then cherry tomatoes, hot peppers (chillis habaneros etc),

If I planted in my back yard my hounds and their pet wild rabbits would eat them

 

[Nobody]

What are the best items to plant in pots on a deck?

I normally do herbs (basil, cilantro (which starts well ends badly), rosemary, thyme) then cherry tomatoes, hot peppers (chillis habaneros etc),

If I planted in my back yard my hounds and their pet wild rabbits would eat them

You're already planting the best potted items. Tomatoes, peppers and herbs do better than anything by far when not in the ground. You can get root vegetables to grow in pots too, but you need a special type of pot that's made for that. You can also do strawberries if you get one of those old terracotta pots with all the holes around the sides, and just plant the strawberries in those spaces and some on top.

You can also do squash in a pot, but one plant will rarely put out enough to make it worth it.

 

[Huly]

You're already planting the best potted items. Tomatoes, peppers and herbs do better than anything by far when not in the ground. You can get root vegetables to grow in pots too, but you need a special type of pot that's made for that. You can also do strawberries if you get one of those old terracotta pots with all the holes around the sides, and just plant the strawberries in those spaces and some on top.

You can also do squash in a pot, but one plant will rarely put out enough to make it worth it.

Thanks! We love fresh veggies and live at the local farmer's market but I try to keep the basics too. I am NOT great with plants at all but I try

 

[Nobody]

I have about a dozen of these things popping up in various spots in my yard and garden. They're mostly in the 2 ft high range, and grow almost completely straight up in the air. At first glance, they look like onions, but they are red at the base, which I've never seen on onions, and when you break a piece off it doesn't smell like onions at all. Anyone have a guess what it is?

View attachment 565

 

[Boone]

Here's my garden... Coming along nicely so far. If the weather will ever warm up expect to have some nice veggies this summer.

 

[Boone]

Spent most of the day trying to reclaim my summer garden for the weeds. Cleaned up everything but some hot pepper plants and sweet potatoes, tilled, and am about halfway through putting in my Fall garden. Will grow a ton of collards (I love them), some Kale, lots if cabbage (going to make some kimchi this year), broccolli, and some Brussels sprouts.