Gardening in the Hive?

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#1

I discovered that my 6 year old son will eat anything he picks… so… In goes the garden…
I built 2 4x4ft raised beds for our garden this year and I am adhering to “Square foot Gardening” by Mel Bartholomew…

this year I am doing three kinds of Peppers, (Bell, sweet Banana, and Greek Fryers.)

I will also have beefsteak tomatoes as well as grape tomatoes for salads.

a variety of lettuce.

snow peas, green beans, cucumbers, Eggplant, broccoli and cauliflower, and some herbs.

I would be interested in what anybody else is doing.

#2

I was going to get a Roma tomato plant from my Mom to plant behind my house this year…but I have 2 rabbits who have decided that my yard is theirs. So it wouldn’t survive without a cage around it.

#3

OKRA
pumpkins

#4

OKRA…Must be a mason-dixon line thing… never even occurred to me… we are putting in one pumpkin. but they take up so much room.

I was going to get a Roma tomato plant from my Mom to plant behind my house this year…but I have 2 rabbits who have decided that my yard is theirs. So it wouldn’t survive without a cage around it.

here is a quote form the Master Gardener website…http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/frederick/2002/rabbits.htm
“In the vegetable garden rabbits prefer peas, beans and beets. In general they will not eat corn, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers or potatoes. Though I have had a rabbit “taste” a newly planted tomato plant, biting the stem in two then deciding it was not to his liking and leaving the stem on the ground.”

#5

Well my neighbor who has lots of flowers and puts in tomatoes and peppers disagrees with the Master Gardener…the rabbits in our area will eat her plants to the ground. She’s put chicken wire along the inside of all her fencing to try to keep them out. Thing is they go under her gates.

#6

things that make you say…HMMMmmmmmmm… well here’s hoping that the pa rabbits are not as clever as yours…

#7

I have a tomato plant, but it’s growing on a friend’s deck, since I live in a small apartment.

I’m trying to grow some herbs, though. Basil and Chives are planted, and I’m considering parsely and thyme, too. It’s a bit frustrating, though, as everything at the garden stores is targeted towards people with yards. Sigh.

#8

Casilda, you can plant anything in a planter. I have mega-zombie rabbits, they have even eaten tree saplings before. :frowning: So all my stuff is in containers on the back porch.

This year I’m trying heirloom tomatoes. We’ll see how that goes, last year’s tomato plant got fraked up bad by tomato horn worms. The kids found them and then I had to bring the things into the house and hand feed them tomato leaves. There is no garden justice.

I’m also planting rosemary and lavender this weekend. It’s late but I’m also going to see if I can grow strawberries this year.

And I’m finally going to try lettuce. One of the kids at school told my 8 year old that lettuce grows on trees. So I have prove he’s full of it. I’ve heard its hard to grow this late in the season, it’s getting hot, but I have to try if only to reduce the amount of veggie ignorance in the world.

#9

Oh I know planters are great… but I don’t even have a balcony or porch! :stuck_out_tongue:

#10

You should be OK with the lettuce at this point, and you can do another round, Planted at the end of August so the plants are in in Sept when it cools off a bit.

the biggest issue with Veggies in containers is that the roots can get to hot if the pot itself is in the sun… so if you notice your Tomato plants getting brown or droopy, place something as a sun baffel around you pots… last year I just used pieces of wood… not attractive but hey it worked. :slight_smile:

#11

Also, growing chili peppers can discourage much wildlife.

#12

Hehe! I will do go to any lengths of ugliness to get my home grown tomatoes. It gets so blooming hot here I pushed all the plants into the shadows on the back porch several times last year. The hybrid tomato did okay but I’ll watch the heirlooms really close this year. I’ve heard they have a lot less production and I’d be super bummed if I lose the plants to the heat before the cutworm cats’ get a chance at 'em. :frowning:

#13

Have you looked into window farms?

#14

Oh good one. There’s been a lot of activity re: growing tomato plants upside down in hangers, which I find fascinating. Probably requires a good southern view, though.

#15

so far this year, I have lost my seedling tomato’s to a late frost, even though I covered them…FRAAAAAK!

I also lost 1 of 2 eggplant plants, and my seedlings for sweet banana peppers.

all the lettuce and the bean sprouts are doing OK. Beets have sprouted, I am looking for the carrots to sprout.

so I am batting about .500 this year.

anyone have pics. of their garden? I will get some and post soon.

#16

Last year I tried growing tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and a bunch of assorted herbs. They lasted until about the middle of the summer because stupid Texas heat.

This year, I hadn’t been planning on trying again but I saw some cheap seeds at Target, and now I have burgeoning tomatoes, chives, oregano, basil, and parsley on my windowsill! This weekend I need to transplant all but the basil (which only just sprouted yesterday) to planters on the balcony. I’m hoping those aqua globe whatsits my sister got me for Christmas will help keep them from frying like things did last year.

#17

I have got one early planting of lettuce going good (had awesome salad last night!!) and put a second planting in a week or so ago. I have also put in 1 planting of carrots, six tomatoes, a row of broccoli, cucumbers, and zucchini. I am going to be putting in 4 rows of green beans in the next little bit.

Unfortunately, someone ate one of my cucumber plants to the stem, my broccoli seedlings are being chewed up by some insect as are my tomatoes. I have tried planting basil in with the tomatoes and I’m waiting to see if that will help.

#18

Started my first garden this year. Raised beds and planters. Been eating lots of spinach from it, can’t wait until my peppers and onions are ready. But the real star or my garden is my hop plant, which will be used to make beer at home.

#19

Very Nice. a plan with an added bonus…beer. :slight_smile: