Veggie Growers Unite About This Page:

[Minnie Lor]

Yikes! I don't like snakes. Yep, we need snake repellent to be on the safe side.

[Sandra Bostwick]

Here is some info on starting a veggie garden

How to Start a Vegetable Garden | eHow.com

Starting Your First Vegetable Garden | Tips & Techniques

HowStuffWorks "Starting a Vegetable Garden"

[Christine43]

Two summers in a row I got obsessed with growing pumpkins. I'd go out there every morning and pollenate them from flower to flower with the bees flying around my head. I did everything but give them a pep talk and each year I ended up with these weenie pumpkins (which I was still bizarrely proud of). I threw in the towel and I've only grown flowers ever since.

[klositis]

[quote=wyomom;2553339]

Originally Posted by Sandra Bostwick

Well, my apple tree must be gettin some someplace because there are PLENTY of apples every year! Maybe your pear tree and my apple tree are having a long distance relationship???quote]

Isn't that like cats and dogs mating!?? Sick and wrong!
If memory serves, there are some apple trees that will produce without a mate... and like I said, trees are NOT my forte, just minimal info I learned while working in greenhouses/nurserys. I specialized in gardening and flowering types of plants, soil, and shrubbery.

Bought some seeds today and can't wait to start planting. Our growing season is way too short to do tomatoes from seed...

Hey, I have a question. We too deal with the 4 legged pests (deer) and I know that one of our greenhouses sell Deer "repellent". Has anyone tried this? The deer love my tomatoes and some shrubbery, but leave all other vegies alone. My Chocolate Lab is too old and lazy to give a rats patooty if they are eating my garden!

And for those of you who hate the snakes, there is a snake repellent that has worked for us in the past. It's a granule that you make a "fence" with. We had a bad snake issue last year and they are my biggest phobia. If anyone has other ways of deterring the snakes, I am all ears! My cat just plays with them and leaves them on the porch!

I did think of something else that may help those of you planting squashes/cucumbers. In order for the flower to turn into a vegi, it needs to be pollinated by bees. If you feel bees are minimal in your area, plant flowers that attract bees around your squashes. If you are unsure if your squashes are being pollinated, signs are: the fruit will grow for a week, turn yellow,shrivel and fall off. ha ha ha .... had a thought there..... following me?

Well that takes care of the answer to the question I was going to post under a new forum called " Viagra Moments, whats yours!!!" LOL

[Sandra Bostwick]

[quote=klositis;2565790]

Originally Posted by wyomom

Well that takes care of the answer to the question I was going to post under a new forum called " Viagra Moments, whats yours!!!" LOL

[Sandra Bostwick]

Hey gardeners! It is almost time to start thinking about our gardens! HEre is an article while we are waiting for the sun.

Dollars from dirt: Economy spurs home garden boom: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

[saremca]

I just ordered this year's potato starts from seed savers. I don't know if anyone else is into heirloom seeds, but that's all I use. No GMO, no hybrid. I have four plots I'm working this spring, one big one for broccoli, chard, and kale, one for tomatoes, one for a variety of peppers, and one for potatoes. Once the potatoes are done I'll pull them and plant cukes and zucchini. I'm container planting beans and probably cherry tomatoes.

We also have 2 apple trees and some raspberry bushes. We do a lot of canning and drying and freezing in the summer/early fall, and we make raw apple cider vinegar out of the peels and cores of the apples. Berries get made into jam and also frozen. We did 10 pounds of blueberries last summer.

We like to lasagna garden. It's a great way to enrich the soil and it's cheap and easy to do. I'm glad to see there are other gardeners here.

[Sandra Bostwick]

Originally Posted by saremca

I just ordered this year's potato starts from seed savers.

I have four plots I'm working this spring, one big one for broccoli, chard, and kale, one for tomatoes, one for a variety of peppers, and one for potatoes. Once the potatoes are done I'll pull them and plant cukes and zucchini.

I'm container planting beans and probably cherry tomatoes.

We also have 2 apple trees

We like to lasagna garden. It's a great way to enrich the soil and it's cheap and easy to do. I'm glad to see there are other gardeners here.

OK! Looks like you are the expert here. How much land do you have?

I was looking at seeds, but I have no clue. Beans would be fun to grow. Is there anything special you need to know?

I have an apple tree, but it gets all buggy all the time. Can you suggest anything so I can eat my apples instead of rake them up with the bugs in fall?

Lasagna garden sounds like a good idea, but (once again) I have no idea how to start!

Do you fence in your garden?

[Tigger1221]

So far I have started my tomatos, peppers, and rosemary inside. The tomatos have sprouted as well as the rosemary. Just waiting on the peppers now.
The plan for us is:
Tomatos
Cucumbers
Peppers
White onions
potatos
watermelon
cantaloupe
strawberries
and then some various herbs

DH want to plant corn, but it is so hard to grow in this area.

I am going to try my hand at canning this year too. I have never done it so it should be fun!

[Tigger1221]

Here is an article I thought was pretty interesting.

Finance - Dollars from dirt: Economy spurs home garden boom

[Minnie Lor]

I don't have the know how or skills to start from seed. I know that it has to start inside. It's still too iffy outside to start anything. I'll start my tomatoes and cuc's or peppers from plants in mid-May.

It's going to be beautiful this week and I'm thinking of cleaning up the yard. If I do, it'll probably snow. I need to weed and remulch and rake leaves. Tomorrow it's going to be 78 so that's probably when I'll be doing it.

[Huntermom]

I used to have a pretty good sized garden (30X50) but stopped a few years back when I went back to work full time. Last year my DS built me a raised bed for my birthday and I plan on having a small garden. That means no pumpkins, watermelon (NH variety which is small and round) or anything that takes up space.

My advice is to call your county extension if you are just starting out. They not only have staff that can advise you about gardening, but what to do with the produce. State agriculture colleges can also be helpful.

My basic words of advice are to be aware of your growing season. Our last frost date is Memorial Day so I buy lots of seedlings. I know lots who start them indoors but I don't have the room or sunshine. Also know a plants preferred growing weather. Broccoli prefers cooler weather so I'm not sure you could grown it in Arizona. Some plants can also withstand a frost so can go in earlier.

Second consider your space and needs. If you don't have a lot of space, don't waste it on pumpkins. You can also grown almost anything up rather than out. Stake everything you can. It also makes keeping the garden clean.

Don't over do it. One or two squash plants will keep you and your family well fed and not have you trying to pawn it off on neighbors and co-workers who may appreciate one or two but after ten or twelve get a little overwhelmed. You can start small and grow each year.

Finally, you need to examine your soil. I don't do carrots because they don't like the soil here and are pretty cheap to buy. They also take a bit more work than tomatoes.

I also use black plastic mulch. It keeps the weeds down and moisture in. I just spread it from the roll, cut holes for the plant, put a collar on the plant and then don't need to weed much.

I live in a pretty rural are and we have garter snakes and some water snakes (our land is bordered by a brook) but haven't encountered one in the garden. I have had garter snakes under the front porch.

If I were to find a boa in my yard, that might be the end of my outdoor life for many years.

Diane

[Teresa]

We've had some success in gardens. Not always - it really depends on the time we want to put into it.
I've always had success in keeping out deer, rabbits, bugs, etc with marigolds and tomatoes. Tomatoes are part of the nightshade family (poison) and the animals will stay away from them - I just planted them around the garden.

[Sandra Bostwick]

Originally Posted by Tigger1221

Here is an article I thought was pretty interesting.

Finance - Dollars from dirt: Economy spurs home garden boom

I just posted that article a few posts up!

[Sandra Bostwick]

Originally Posted by Tigger1221

So far I have started my tomatos, peppers, and rosemary inside. The tomatos have sprouted as well as the rosemary. Just waiting on the peppers now.
!

How do you start them inside? Is that better than buying in the store?