The Gardening Thread

Christmas cactus

 

You and my husband. He thinks that first one with the clusters of white flowers looks creepy and alien. He made a disgusted face when I showed it off.

 

I have one a took from a cutting of an old coworker. The flowers really are stunning when they bloom. I can never get the full thing to flower at once. Usually just the side facing the sun then turn it so the other side starts.

 

I think they can detect the cold draft from the window. They need some seasonal changes to bloom. I try to keep turning mine, maybe once a week. It helps the plant sense the changes more evenly and bloom at once a little better.

 

Yeah certainly draftier nearer to the window. They have photosensitive needs too I think where they need less light to go into bloom like Orchids. I think they put them in the straight dark, like Orchids, to get them to flower before putting them on store shelves.

Im also trying to trying to get the hang of some pitcher plants. When I first got them I was able to get both types to produce pitchers. One was more hardy and liked light and was spitting them out. The other was very temperamental to light and temp changes. The tropical pitchers come from different altitude regains. I managed to kill of the pitchers, not the plants, and have struggled to get them back producing. I need to make a terrarium to keep it more humid around them. The garden window we have is really arrid and my succulents love it. These not so much. I also just bought a couple of American Pitcher plants that Im trying not to kill along with a venus fly trap.

 

The search for a solution for new raised beds has been solved. My dad found these so we’re gonna each order one. Then each year I’ll replace a current bed with a new one til they’re all newer:



Cheaper than building our own out of 4x4’s as planned, and made of cedar so they’re “greener”.

 

Herbs have medicinal qualities, no doubt. How fast or how strongly they work can vary for so many reasons.

My neighbor has been exploring medicinal herbs. She was telling me about moullin and teasil recently. Anyway, she made oregano oil and offered it to me when I couldn't be seen for the UTI Saturday. I went ahead and took it from her. My gut screamed bullshit but I was desperate, and she's my friend who wanted to help so i took it. Ive been taking it repeatedly, and went to the clinic the next day. Well, the clinic called and told me today that there was no sign of an infection.

I have a history of UTIs, I know their signs and symptoms. I guess I could have been wrong about having one (but I don't think so, and I will finish the antibiotics ). It definitely makes me interested in using my herbs this way, rather than strictly for culinary use. I had a lot to to waste at the end of the last fall. I'm already growing the stuff, it is worth exploring.

 

Let us know how you like those. We considered the galvanized metal beds, but ultimately went with wood for aesthetics. Plus, when they finally rot beyond any use, disposing of them is much easier. Just throw them next to the brush pile and they’ll rot back into the dirt.

 

I'd probably do a quick soil test to see where you're at with ph and nutrients. Otherwise you'll never know if the previous owners over/under fertilized, etc.

Otherwise, congrats!

I usually plant cucumbers along with tomatoes, as well as some herbs (basil, etc), and some lettuce. Not sure how that all works out in a 10x10 though...

 

Congrats! That will be so much fun for you.

I'm a fan of a no-till garden but there are downsides to it.

Between rows where you want to walk, you can lay sheet cardboard basically as mulch, to retain moisture and prevent weeds.

Grow some herbs. Whatever top 3-5 that you know you cook with. They tend to not be fussy and are prolific once they mature.

I personally like swiss chard. It's easy, doesn't take up too much space, and persists through the worst of the summer heat.

I'd avoid sugar/snow peas, okra, green beans, and cucumbers. Anything you need to be there on site every day or two to pick is going to go crazy while you're at home, unable to see it. Just my opinion of course.

 

Swiss Chard has to be the most robust and resilient plant I grow. It is insane. It will still be green while it's below zero and covered in ice. It is amazing.

 

I got the idea about growing it from you, and I am glad I gave it a try. I'll always include it in my garden.

 

I’m in the till baby till group but I’ve fought shitty clay soil with terrible drainage since day one. If your soil naturally allows it or you built the soil from zero, like a raised bed, then you can try no till.

I’m actually going to try grafting some of my tomatoes onto rootstock this year to see how well it works. Any have experience doing this? Anything you should know before hand?

 

I used to till and even bought a really nice rear tine tiller to make the job easier. It was still a huge pain in the ass and the clay here is so clay heavy it aint funny. I went to raised beds as well as small containers and never looked back. But to each their own.

 

I used the hell out of my little electric sunjoe tiller to break ground on my Alabama garden. The soil there was heavy red clay and it was a lot of work to remove sod and break up the clay. Then, I commenced on soilbuilding.

Here, the soil has some light colored clay clods i occasionally come across but generally it is loamy and well draining. I feed and water the ducks in the main garden over winter so that they deposit all their rich fertilizer there. especially in the spring, I add the half rotten straw from their run to act as mulch and additional fertilizer. I also throw cardboard out there. The worms are fucking crazy out there, especially under the cardboard. I dig specifically where I want to plant.

This has been an interesting spring to see which herbs are perennials. Peppermint has reliably come back the last few years for me. Surprisingly oregano is coming back from the roots this year. Cilantro is a self sowing annual and the pot where the seeds fell last year is full of seedlings. Thyme might be a self sowing annual as well.

I have most of my spring plants in the ground. Just leeks left to plant. I will plant those along the skinny driveway garden bed, and when it gets warm, I will pull them and plant okra there instead.

I heard a planting idea that I am trying this year. I am trying zucchini as a later summer crop. When I start them early, they get attacked by the squash bugs. The bugs overwinter in garden debris and can fly. So if I start them late, hopefully I won't have adults in my garden waiting to attack. I'll try the summer squash in a spot I am growing cabbage. I had vowed to be done with the summer squashes because of how frustrating the bug situation was but I'll try delaying their planting to see how successful that is.

My plants inside that aren't ready for the outside temps. Peppers, tomatoes, and some select herbs.