The Gardening Thread

[Tin Man]

Put haricot vert beans in a big planter on my south facing. It will get morning sun and dappled sunlight afterwards.

 

[GVF]

Got my garden planted this week. Pretty much every I bought as plants. I always seem to jack up vegetable seeding.

Tomatoes, carrots and oregano on the left. Corn next to them, will be doing beans once the corn gets up. Big middle space will be potatoes, got them soaking, along with an aisle of sunflowers. Last box is peppers and okra.

Also threw in two blueberry bushes. I my limited experience they are extremely temperamental so I am not expecting anything for about 3 seasons.

I'm actually trying potatoes this year. Only tried twice before over hte years. But, I got a couple of those small raised beds so I'm using one for htat to see how I do. Those are in and planted, aong with carrot, onion, and radish in the other. Had another make shift rasied bed in a 14x22 picking basket with small slots in it that I put leaf lettuc and just set out. Hasn't germinated one piece of lettuce yet. Been about 10 days or so. Set it out since lettuce likes cool weather. Maybe need to set it back in greenhouse to see if it sprouts. I won't plant anything else here like tomatoes and swuash and beans and stuff till early May. My thyme, rosemary, and curly parsley survives here for me as perennials.

I had 3 blueberries in GA that would go nuts for their size. They were really growing. In 2 year, moved them with me twice. They grew to thigh high and bushed out in no time down there and were loaded for their size. Got them re-planted up here in TN, seemed to survive well. Had a guy take out some trees and he drop one right on them. Got 5 going now I put in two years ago.

 

[LouderVol]

I'm actually trying potatoes this year. Only tried twice before over hte years. But, I got a couple of those small raised beds so I'm using one for htat to see how I do. Those are in and planted, aong with carrot, onion, and radish in the other. Had another make shift rasied bed in a 14x22 picking basket with small slots in it that I put leaf lettuc and just set out. Hasn't germinated one piece of lettuce yet. Been about 10 days or so. Set it out since lettuce likes cool weather. Maybe need to set it back in greenhouse to see if it sprouts. I won't plant anything else here like tomatoes and swuash and beans and stuff till early May. My thyme, rosemary, and curly parsley survives here for me as perennials.

I had 3 blueberries in GA that would go nuts for their size. They were really growing. In 2 year, moved them with me twice. They grew to thigh high and bushed out in no time down there and were loaded for their size. Got them re-planted up here in TN, seemed to survive well. Had a guy take out some trees and he drop one right on them. Got 5 going now I put in two years ago.

glad to hear they do well in GA, that is where I am. always had issue with my dad in TN. but it was chattanooga and soil was churt not dirt.

first time doing potatoes. I am worried handling them properly; but as is often the case I have some volunteer ones growing in my mulch pile. I will ignore them and not disturb them, and they will probably do better than the ones I plant on purpose.

 

[GVF]

glad to hear they do well in GA, that is where I am. always had issue with my dad in TN. but it was chattanooga and soil was churt not dirt.

first time doing potatoes. I am worried handling them properly; but as is often the case I have some volunteer ones growing in my mulch pile. I will ignore them and not disturb them, and they will probably do better than the ones I plant on purpose.

My dad put in 8-10 blueberries back when he retired up here in upper Middle TN. To my knowledge never pruned them. I can't reach the tops from a ladder when picking.

Variety has everything to do with. In Ga, well anywhere in the warm south, make sure it's a rabbit eye/southern high bush variety. Should be you're only choices at local centers. Plant a mix of Tift Blue, Climax, and maybe it was Premier. Gives full season harvest range from early to mid to late. All southern highbush/rabbit eye. Sizes will range from 8-10 foot unpruned at maturity.

Climax - Developed at UGA. But, does not like spring frosts. Good hot season variety. Early variety.
Tifblue - Also a GA development. But, more cold hardy. Late Variety
Premier - So Car State development. Mid season variety. Small er of the 3 at 8 foot mature unpruned.
My dad was an agronomist at UGA. This was always his mix of blueberries for the south's climate.

I would also recommend adding Pink Lemonade Blueberry (Rabbit eye, late season). Crazy non-typical blueberry flavor, ripens red/pink, with a sweet citrus like flavor. One of my favorites and addictive. And all blueberries are inexpensive investments. Just don't go for northern high or low bush varieties down here in the south. Need southern highbush/rabbit eye.

Also helpful tip to get good growth. Blueberries are fond of acidic soil. Plant with a good mix blended with your soil. Mulch with pine straw/pine bark/pine nuggets. The acidity that leaches from a pine based mulch will be a real friend to blueberries. I know one guy that told me his young plants almost doubled in a season after switching to pine based mulch in year 2. Prob good mulch tip for most berry plants. I just raked my mulch back to the edges of my 5 plants and filled in with mini nuggets a few weeks ago after two years. Looking forward to the claim. Also added it to my blackberry and raspberry plantings. Prime Ark Ponca is bush style blackberry and absolute sweetest blackberry I ever ate. And big too. Not a brambler. Actually grows out of a central bush trunk. Still trying to perfect the pruning. I just cut my Triple Crown blackberry and raspberries to the ground instead of remembering how to prune for dual harvest. Might need to decide to prune the triple crown differently.

Edit: Yep. Just did some reading up. Pruned the triple crown to the ground. Should have pruned it as a floricane/prinocane. It may just put out vegetative growth this year ??

Edit Edit - That U of Ark blackberry of mine is Sweet Ark Ponca, not Prime Ark. The Ponca is a florocane producer (berries on previous year growth, which is why I'm not sure if I pruned correctly for a harvest this year, which would have been grand because the plant is thriving). If you want first year harvest, you have to have a Prime (U of Ark) or primocane. They will produce on current growth, as well as put out non bearing growth for next year. Prime Ark freedom is a good primeocane/florocane. As well as Triple Crown. Both thornless. I like that Ponca, because the cane production is fairly tight radius from center. It doesn't sprawl everywhere.

 

[LouderVol]

My dad put in 8-10 blueberries back when he retired up here in upper Middle TN. To my knowledge never pruned them. I can't reach the tops from a ladder when picking.

Variety has everything to do with. In Ga, well anywhere in the warm south, make sure it's a rabbit eye/southern high bush variety. Should be you're only choices at local centers. Plant a mix of Tift Blue, Climax, and maybe it was Premier. Gives full season harvest range from early to mid to late. All southern highbush/rabbit eye. Sizes will range from 8-10 foot unpruned at maturity.

Climax - Developed at UGA. But, does not like spring frosts. Good hot season variety. Early variety.
Tifblue - Also a GA development. But, more cold hardy. Late Variety
Premier - So Car State development. Mid season variety. Small er of the 3 at 8 foot mature unpruned.
My dad was an agronomist at UGA. This was always his mix of blueberries for the south's climate.

I would also recommend adding Pink Lemonade Blueberry (Rabbit eye, late season). Crazy non-typical blueberry flavor, ripens red/pink, with a sweet citrus like flavor. One of my favorites and addictive. And all blueberries are inexpensive investments. Just don't go for northern high or low bush varieties down here in the south. Need southern highbush/rabbit eye.

Also helpful tip to get good growth. Blueberries are fond of acidic soil. Plant with a good mix blended with your soil. Mulch with pine straw/pine bark/pine nuggets. The acidity that leaches from a pine based mulch will be a real friend to blueberries. I know one guy that told me his young plants almost doubled in a season after switching to pine based mulch in year 2. Prob good mulch tip for most berry plants. I just raked my mulch back to the edges of my 5 plants and filled in with mini nuggets a few weeks ago after two years. Looking forward to the claim. Also added it to my blackberry and raspberry plantings. Prime Ark Ponca is bush style blackberry and absolute sweetest blackberry I ever ate. And big too. Not a brambler. Actually grows out of a central bush trunk. Still trying to perfect the pruning. I just cut my Triple Crown blackberry and raspberries to the ground instead of remembering how to prune for dual harvest. Might need to decide to prune the triple crown differently.

Edit: Yep. Just did some reading up. Pruned the triple crown to the ground. Should have pruned it as a floricane/prinocane. It may just put out vegetative growth this year ??

I got some wild blackberries in my yard that go nuts. well they are wild for me, previous owner might have put them in. pretty big seeds compared to most domesticated types I am used to as well.

 

[GVF]

I got some wild blackberries in my yard that go nuts. well they are wild for me, previous owner might have put them in. pretty big seeds compared to most domesticated types I am used to as well.

Yeah, we get hoards of wild blackberries accross the road on the edges of our fields. Prob won't get wild berries this year cause the road mowers whacked everything thing down end of summer last year. Usually have couple hundred feet of wild berries over there. They'll come back. The big bank in front of my brothers was our great aunts house when we were kids. Old 1860's house. Always loaded solid with wild blackberry. When we'd come visit in summer, we'd be all scarred up from climbing that bank picking berries. Wild blackberries usually are smaller and more tart. Those two great aunts were major old school. Wouldn't allow yard man to mow anywhere except around immediate house. Lot's of wild flower mixed in the further out yard and she had to have her bees pollinating. Big honey bee colony in a hollow tree by the drive. Tree is still there and wouldn't be surprised if there's still a sizeable active honey hive in there. One good side value of this thread is the memories of how the family that has since passed did things in such a simple, yet hard, way that seems better than what we do.

 

[GVF]

Okay all you pro summer squash gardeners. I'm going to copy in a recipe for yellow summer squash relish. Not mine, but it is a great recipe and solves a lot of conundrum over huge harvests of squash. Up front I will say for color presentation and a little flavor variance, I do mix in about 1/3 of the squash as zuchinni and add some finely chopped red bell. This is one of the best relishes you will eat if you home can and like relish. This recipe is from Taste of Home: [[Make sure to start a day early. Squah and stuff has to soak in salt mix overnight to reduce moisture]]

• 10 cups shredded yellow summer squash (about 4 pounds) [[I sub about 3 cups zuchinni for color]]
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 large red sweet pepper, chopped
• 6 tablespoons canning salt
• 4 cups sugar
• 3 cups cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon each celery seed, ground mustard and ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. In a large container, combine squash, onions, green pepper and salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain; rinse and drain again.
2. In a Dutch oven, combine sugar, vinegar and seasonings; bring to a boil. Add squash mixture; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Carefully ladle hot mixture into 6 hot 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight.
4. Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool. Refrigerate remaining relish for up to 1 week.

​

 

[Go aeiou]

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

In Nashville I grow 3 or 4 plants including Cherokee Purple and Better Boy. Trying a new tomato this year, Arkansas Traveler. Sets fruit above 90 degrees which is typically a problem in Nashville in July/August.