The Gardening Thread

[GVF]

I met Mr Maple’s father (huh, this makes him sound like an Ent) at the big annual spring plant sale at WNC Farmers Market 4-5 years ago. With a whopping 0.15 acre city lot (half of which is house), I have to be jealous of my garden space, but Japanese maples are definitely on the list. I’d forgotten about Mr.Maple. Thanks for reminding me! He also carries ginkgos, which I’d like to plant (hoping for male-only!) Our neighborhood is mostly Arts and Crafts houses built in the 1920’s, and ginkgos are one of the common a&c motifs.

I think USDA changed us from 6b to 7a four years ago, maybe. When my daughter and son-in-law moved to AVL 10 years ago, they didn’t need air conditioning. When we followed about three years later, there might be 5-6 days in the summer where you’d have all the fans going nonstop. Now, it’s AC land. And except for our big snow this past weekend, we don’t get a lot of real winter any more. Heartbreaking.

I didn’t realize Nashville was also 7a. But then, these zones are reflecting winter lows. I wish USDA would give another whack at creating heat zones. That’s way more relevant for most veg gardening. We’d definitely be in different heat zones!

You could easily and cheaply make your raised beds an early season zone 8-9 by putting open ended "tents" over your raised beds.

Some of these items, along with screws and some 6mil plastic and your set. By the time the plants out grow it, it's time to remove anyway.

 

[VolNExile]

You could easily and cheaply make your raised beds an early season zone 8-9 by putting open ended "tents" over your raised beds.

Some of these items, along with screws and some 6mil plastic and your set. By the time the plants out grow it, it's time to remove anyway.
View attachment 429493
View attachment 429495

We’ll probably be doing that this spring, but more for bugs. Strips of black plastic (not a solid sheet) to warm the soil though, which is the biggest factor.

 

[zhangliao04]

Ah, but the (in)famous WNC heavy grey clay! It’s incredibly fertile, but until you can get the organic matter integrated and the pore spaces open, it’s heavy going.

I do love gardening in 7a, although I’m sad (for a lot of reasons) that we’re no longer 6b. Still hoping to turn the front yard into a cottage garden, once the city determines the extent of the massacre of the hundred year old maples on our street. (The trees are killing the sidewalks, and the sidewalks are killing the trees.)

— I’ll have to check out Plant Delights if I ever get to Raleigh. It sounds great! For most of us 828-ers, Raleigh is just an I-40 Hellmouth that we have to navigate on the way to the Outer Banks.

You better send some of that maple wood my way. Talk about some good smokin’ wood!! Maple with some apple is just heavenly. My wife’s grandfather had some apple trees. He had them taken down because he just couldn’t take care of them anymore due to his age. I didn’t know and lost out on a lot of good apple wood .

 

[GVF]

We’ll probably be doing that this spring, but more for bugs. Strips of black plastic (not a solid sheet) to warm the soil though, which is the biggest factor.

We pretty much have the same spring weather and temps. We are on the plateau east of nashville. I've still not got used to the later vegetable gardening. It was easier to not fail in GA. I love tomato sandwiches. I could get my june and july summer sandwiches in GA. Here it's more of an august harvest or I risk freezing my garden out if too early.

 

[VolNExile]

We pretty much have the same spring weather and temps. We are on the plateau east of nashville. I've still not got used to the later vegetable gardening. It was easier to not fail in GA. I love tomato sandwiches. I could get my june and july summer sandwiches in GA. Here it's more of an august harvest or I risk freezing my garden out if too early.

I started the tomatoes from seed last year in January. Despite four repottings, burying stems each time, the “seedlings” were 3’+ tall by the time I set them out.

I’ll start them a bit later this year.

 

[GVF]

I started the tomatoes from seed last year in January. Despite four repottings, burying stems each time, the “seedlings” were 3’+ tall by the time I set them out.

I’ll start them a bit later this year.

My brother built a green house. I thought about building one of those small one with the lid to start mine from seed this year. But, hey his house is just down the hill. I'm thinking maybe late Feb to start seeds.

I've already got the bug though. I've gone a little seed crazy. I'll have to decide what tomatoes I'm not planting this year. But this is my tomato seed collection from Tomatofest.com, Victory Seeds, and Rareseeds.com:
Mila Orange Pear
Purple Reign
Principe Borghese (best for dried tomatoes)
White Currant
A Grappoli D'Inverno
Kellogg's Breakfast
Thorburn's Terra Cotta
Costoluto Genovese
San Marzano Redorta
Orange Peach
1884
Blue Berries
Dwarf Velvet Night Cherry
Dwarf Tasmanian Chocolate

Also ordered a couple heirloom sweet corns, Okinawa Pink Okra, Butterbush Butternut Squash, Long White Palermo Zucchini. And some perennial seeds for the flower beds.

My planned garden will be tomatoes, corn, green beans, butter peas, okra, squash, butternut, some cukes, peppers, and may try setting out some garlic early spring. And brussell sprout in the fall. I love brussells. Of all the veggies for a teen to like, that is one of my sons favs. Already got canning recipes ready. In all my times planting a garden, I suck at cucumbers but yet I keep on.

 

[VolNExile]

I raised a fine crop of cucumber beetles last year! I’m trying again this year, while pondering the logistics of bug netting over a trellis.

 

[Go aeiou]

My brother built a green house. I thought about building one of those small one with the lid to start mine from seed this year. But, hey his house is just down the hill. I'm thinking maybe late Feb to start seeds.

I've already got the bug though. I've gone a little seed crazy. I'll have to decide what tomatoes I'm not planting this year. But this is my tomato seed collection from Tomatofest.com, Victory Seeds, and Rareseeds.com:
Mila Orange Pear
Purple Reign
Principe Borghese (best for dried tomatoes)
White Currant
A Grappoli D'Inverno
Kellogg's Breakfast
Thorburn's Terra Cotta
Costoluto Genovese
San Marzano Redorta
Orange Peach
1884
Blue Berries
Dwarf Velvet Night Cherry
Dwarf Tasmanian Chocolate

Also ordered a couple heirloom sweet corns, Okinawa Pink Okra, Butterbush Butternut Squash, Long White Palermo Zucchini. And some perennial seeds for the flower beds.

My planned garden will be tomatoes, corn, green beans, butter peas, okra, squash, butternut, some cukes, peppers, and may try setting out some garlic early spring. And brussell sprout in the fall. I love brussells. Of all the veggies for a teen to like, that is one of my sons favs. Already got canning recipes ready. In all my times planting a garden, I suck at cucumbers but yet I keep on.

Wow, that's a real garden.
Do you ever have a problem with tomato diseases?

 

[GVF]

Wow, that's a real garden.
Do you ever have a problem with tomato diseases?

Not too bad. I plant marigolds and basil around them for insects. Works really well. I choose as disease tolerant on the heirlooms as I can. My biggest nemsis is that big ole fluffy green worm thing. I haven't battled much disease last few years on tomatoes. I keep my corn and green beans, and squash and cucumber at the other end. they don't mesh well with tomatoes. And I put a good cover of straw around my plants to keep the soil diseases off the maters.

 

[GVF]

Wow, that's a real garden.
Do you ever have a problem with tomato diseases?

It does sound like alot, but It's enough to put some stuff up, and not too much to handle. The harvest on what I do plant is spread out, so I don't lose much trying to get everything took care of. Any bigger and I would be in trouble, but my tilled plot is pretty good size and I could pack more in for weed control probably. that would save a lot of time

my biggest issue each year has been green beans. we grow a local flat bean that has been passed around the neighbors for several generations. Me and my brother kept it going from my dad. And our back neighbor does too. My brother will put up 60-70 jars and quit picking. I get maybe a dozen jars with the rest of his. Don't know what I do wrong. But, they are the best green bean you will ever eat, and no one knows the real name. The closest looking is Allens' Kentucky wonder style, but it's not them.

 

[Tin Man]

I raised a fine crop of cucumber beetles last year! I’m trying again this year, while pondering the logistics of bug netting over a trellis.

I laughed out loud. Please, take no offense. My two attempts at climbing green beans were nothing more than feeding the beetles.

 

[Tin Man]

At my current garden spot, I have multiple generations of Cardinals who teach their young to work my tomatoes for caterpillars. My need to check for and remove caterpillars is greatly reduced by my resident red birds. However, for the past two years, I’ve had to deal with a mockingbird pecking the ripening maters. Break out the netting and lose the free caterpillar grooming by the cardinals.

 

[Go aeiou]

At my current garden spot, I have multiple generations of Cardinals who teach their young to work my tomatoes for caterpillars. My need to check for and remove caterpillars is greatly reduced by my resident red birds. However, for the past two years, I’ve had to deal with a mockingbird pecking the ripening maters. Break out the netting and lose the free caterpillar grooming by the cardinals.

I hate our state bird. I often have to pick tomatoes as soon as they start turning color. After a couple of weeks it seems they have found better pickens. My neighbor across the street. Not much problem after that.

 

[Go aeiou]

Not too bad. I plant marigolds and basil around them for insects. Works really well. I choose as disease tolerant on the heirlooms as I can. My biggest nemsis is that big ole fluffy green worm thing. I haven't battled much disease last few years on tomatoes. I keep my corn and green beans, and squash and cucumber at the other end. they don't mesh well with tomatoes. And I put a good cover of straw around my plants to keep the soil diseases off the maters.

Plant dill, and basil along with your MGs between the tomato plants. I plant on the outside and between the tomato plants so the basil gets sun. I have not had a single horn worm since I started doing that. The dill self seeds yearly. Basil too, but I usually buy a six pack or an Italian variety of seeds.
oops, i see you already plant basil. maybe it's the dill or the combination that works? Finding those worms is difficult. i think I've read that they show up using a blacklight. Who owns a blacklight. I recall them from 60s-70s.

 

[VolNExile]

 

[GoDucks349]

Landscaping project started this morning. Crew of four, bobcat with a bucket on the front. All plants and lawn in the back and side yards will be taken out. New landscaping, planters, water feature, flagstone pathways, lighting, sprinkler system and plantings will be part of the project. David Austin roses arrive in two weeks, this won't be a veggie garden more like a flower and plant garden. Contractor says all but the plantings will be completed in 7 working days.

 

[Go aeiou]

Landscaping project started this morning. Crew of four, bobcat with a bucket on the front. All plants and lawn in the back and side yards will be taken out. New landscaping, planters, water feature, flagstone pathways, lighting, sprinkler system and plantings will be part of the project. David Austin roses arrive in two weeks, this won't be a veggie garden more like a flower and plant garden. Contractor says all but the plantings will be completed in 7 working days.

pictures please

 

[GoDucks349]

pictures please

Will do, I'll give updates. It's a very small backyard, here's what the backyard looked like when we bought the house in June 2021

 

[GVF]

I raised a fine crop of cucumber beetles last year! I’m trying again this year, while pondering the logistics of bug netting over a trellis.

I don't see why you couldn't. Wonder how the flimsy fairly see through vinyl screen mesh would do?

 

[GVF]

I laughed out loud. Please, take no offense. My two attempts at climbing green beans were nothing more than feeding the beetles.

something stripped my green beans, but didn't touch the bush beans and peas. I found only one Jap beetle. Nothing else. coulda been my deer. Bottom and top row of leaves fine. Everything in between leaves gone. They did leaf back out and produce, but I prob missed alot of production because of that. What ever it was never hit them again. I do spray my green beans and other deer and rabbit food with a minty oil repellent. It works great, so it must have been beetles. Japs can strip so fast you won't even know they were in town!!

 

[GVF]

View attachment 429731

In my head, my garden is already set for the coming spring. What I actually end up executing remains to be seen.

 

[GoDucks349]

Will do, I'll give updates. It's a very small backyard, here's what the backyard looked like when we bought the house in June 2021

First 5 hours day one.

 

[Go aeiou]

First 5 hours day one.

Do you have a design on paper?

 

[GoDucks349]

Do you have a design on paper?

Yes, hired a landscape architect, used most of her design as the basic plan, then made a few of our own modifications.

 

[Go aeiou]

Yes, hired a landscape architect, used most of her design as the basic plan, then made a few of our own modifications.

mostly dwarf plants? a nice area to landscape.