The Gardening Thread

[Tin Man]

This year, Cherokee purple, San Marzano, big beef, and a cherry tomato are starting from seeds. Also, red bell, gypsy, giant Marconi, and poblano peppers from seed. Not sure what will complete the makeup of my garden bed - basil, marigolds, sunflowers? Store bought plants?

I will try growing haricot vertes in a large planter that gets full morning sun and dappled sunlight through the heat of the day.

 

[GVF]

Thinking about starting a 4x8 raised planter box or 2 this year. Any websites or anything you’d recommend for beginners?

Veggies to plant together? Easier ones to grow in east tn? Ones to avoid?

I'm not much into raised bed gardening myself. Can get expensive. Thought about doing some 12" high ones before but not the tall ones. If you want the look, but the goodness of direct to soil garden, just build up your soil a little if it needs conditioning. Trim it out with some short boards or something for hte look. Mulch it good. Leaves, straw, clean wood chip mulch. Anything that will decompose into the soil and just re-top each year. Less watering and weeding.

Agree on starting off with maters and peppers. If you like squash, get some resilient yellow and zuchini.

Plant basil and marigold with your tomatoes. Controls insects. Look up companion planting. Most of us in this thread like heirloom type tomatoes, but throwing in a dependable Better Boy will ensure you have some success because heirlooms can either over flow the counters with fruit, or make you scratch your head. But, the first bite is worth it. Try to find a local to get your plants from. I always do a couple reds each of atleast two varieties. Cherokee Purple. And and Orange/Yellow. And a cherry of some sort. I planted some Goliath red last year. Over 8' tall and a grand red for flavor. So make sure you read the growth habit of what you pick. Better Boys can be grown in a cage. Most heirlooms will need a trellis type suspension cause they get tall.

Most important if this is first time is start small so you will come back for year 2. See what you like and can handle, and expand a little the next year. We highly recommend some kind of mulching and weed suppression. An unptotected garden uses more water, and the weeding can end many a gardening adventure. And if you just want to grow for fresh eating or work towards putting veggies up for the winter. Canning and such. We have one gardener in here whose entire veggie patch is the foundation beds around the house and grows great gardens. You are limited only by your creativity

 

[GVF]

This year, Cherokee purple, San Marzano, big beef, and a cherry tomato are starting from seeds. Also, red bell, gypsy, giant Marconi, and poblano peppers from seed. Not sure what will complete the makeup of my garden bed - basil, marigolds, sunflowers? Store bought plants?

I will try growing haricot vertes in a large planter that gets full morning sun and dappled sunlight through the heat of the day.

Really got to get my seeds going in the next week. I did Goliath last year for my main red. They were great. Very tall too. Hence hte name.

This year gonna go back to a better boy for my safety net. Then Missouri Pink Love Apple, Cherokee Purple, Dr. Wyche's Yellow. Might throw in another or a cherry. Thinking about skipping the orange peach this year. Fantastic mater though.

For peppers probably a mad hatter or two, a bell, and my son will pick out some hots.

Will add squash, okra, green beans, cukes, and some melons. Prob skip the corn. I can never get it to grow. And switching off to some skinny french style bush green bean this year for a change. Give the pole bean a break.

This will be my 3rd season on alot of my berries, and grapes and figs, so hoping to finaly get some harvest going. My berry bushes just seem small though still. Prob need to replace my peach though. in about a month. It just never came back from that buck attack last year. Lot of black on the trunk. Prob took disease after he carved it up with his antlers.