Gardens vegetable, flower or other?

[nobodyspecial]

After gardening hard all week we spent the weekend here. http://www.berwood.com/index.html

The garden photos don't come close to doing the Inn justice. I came away from the weekend with another set of projects to tackle; more sod to cut, more dirt to haul, we need a gazebo and another fountain and an archway to frame the backyard................ First we have to finish planting the area underneath the pergola and that should happen sometime this week. The projects never end and that's a good thing.

 

[Lilliput]

At our house this summer we have had bumper crops of:

wild plums
figs
blueberries
tomatoes
pears
basil
oregano

 

[AmateisGal]

Even though the weeds got away from us in our garden this year, I've had an abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers, and green peppers. Our sweet corn didn't make it, though. We should have some watermelon and some pumpkins, too, in a few weeks.

This is the first time we've had a garden in years. I am loving it! Next year we're planning to plant a lot more variety.

 

[Josephine]

What has everyone been doing with the bounty from their garden (besides eating it straight off)? My garden was a bust this year, I just have too much shade. But I bought a lot of fruit on sale, and at pick your own places, and have canned applesauce, sliced apples, sliced peaches, peach jam (ended up more like peachsauce), sliced pears, pear jam (again, more like pearsauce), raspberry jam, and blackberry jam. I've also dehydrated apples, bananas, onions, the peel from the canned apples, and mushrooms.

I want to try canning potatoes and meats, in addition to vegetables, but that will have to wait until after Christmas (I'm asking for a pressure canner). I think in the meantime I'm going to dehydrate potato slices.

 

[dutton]

I have a humble garden in my yard. Right now it's just two raised beds and a trellis for some grapes but I hope to get to 6 raised beds and add some fruit trees next year. There's a wonderful website with all sorts of people with gardens of ever size at www.freedomgardens.org Don't forget to check out the founders of the site (the DeVraes) at urbanhomestead.org They show what can really be done on a tiny plot of land and a whole lot of time.

 

[nico demouse]

FreedomGardens is a great site.

My garden was a bit of a bust this year, although I was able to do some canning with fruit from the market. Applesauce and a couple of types of jam. I am still looking for a good price on apples to do some apple butter.

Has anyone tried to do a little winter gardening? We have already had a mild frost here in the Chicago area, but I have a late planting of peas that is doing well. I have garlic that needs to get in the ground, and a couple of old storm windows waiting to be made into a cold frame. I'd like to get some cold hardy greens planted in the cold frame, but it may already be too late for that.

I love the old Victory Gardens posters.

 

[Cricket]

My husband is a gardening man. We have a huge plot of land strictly for the garden. The frost has attacked it, and the deer had a meal fit for a king after the electric fence went down. But we still have a lot of peppers left.

We freeze or can what we haven't used by now.
But the peppers are still good with certain dishes.

We also took some empty Jack Daniels bottles and filled with small peppers and toppped with vinegar. It should make for an awesome hot sauce.

But right now out freezer is full of peppers, butter beans, green beans, and other awesome veggies. We will be good through the winter, and then it is the same song and dance next season.

 

[rumblefish]

My garden this year was exceptional. I'm still getting spinach, broccoli rabe, arugula, collards, swiss chard, black seeded simpson lettuce, and kohlrabi. Eggplants were a bit disappointing this year, not enough to can caponata, and all four parsley plants I had never took off.

All the seeds for wintering over went in about three weeks ago, keeping my fingers crossed for next year.

 

[Warden]

Last Saturday I was back at the now closed Imperial War Museum War on Waste / Victory Garden, in St James Park London taking down the exhibits in the pouring rain and then loading them into my car. While every 15 minutes a Police car would draw up and ask what was I doing?

Why? well the War on Waste / Victory Garden exhibition will be back on display at the Cowper and Newton Museum in Olney (North Buckinghamshire) next year, with the planned opening on the 1st May Bank holiday.

Although currently the exhibits are in my spare room and garage. Edna is going to drop them off at the Cowper and Newton Museum later this
week.

Mind you I do think the display boards would look good in my hall way, but I shall fight that temptation.

Anyway more news on the War on Waste / Victory Garden exhibit and plan re-enactment events to follow.

Toodle Pip

Harry


Details on the now closed War on Waste / Victory Garden exhibit
http://www.iwm.org.uk/upload/package/79/DigForVictory/index.htm

Cowper and Newton website
http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/cnm/

Harry and Edna's Victory in the Garden webpage with images from the St James Victory Garden.
http://www.homefrontfriends.org.uk/page11.html

 

[Foofoogal]

Organic Gardening?

http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.burpee.com/
Burpee just invented the first sweet seedless tomato. Can you imagine.
anyone started gardening yet? In Arkansas it is much later than what I am used to. I know there are other threads for this but could not find them with search.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

My grandmother would be happy to hear about seedless tomatoes (diverticulosis.) Though seedless always bothers me on a certain level. Anyway, I have a whole bunch of heirloom seeds I am itching to put out, but in Colorado planting time is a long, long way off yet. I guess I am "gardening" though. My forced crocus bulbs are blooming in the window and my tomato in a can is growing nicely. That counts right?

 

[Foofoogal]

Yes, that counts. I had large containers of Amaryllis that a brought from Texas warm weather to Arkansas where it is maybe going to snow again on Sat. As it is the only things I have left green I am babying them. They are about to bloom.
I love heirloom seeds and just saw something about a guy that goes around Arkansas gathering heirlooms. I will see if I can find it.
April 15 is start of growing season here. So funny as I used to start Early Girl tomatoes in Jan. in Texas though cover them if frost.

http://www.victoryseeds.com/

I even like the name.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Very excited about this season. New place new challenges. Each place I have lived has been organic and has been on the garden club tour circuit. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I love gardening and especially organic, heirloom, etc. I am a "more natural the better" type person! I too am excited to dig in the dirt this season. I would love to see what everyone does this season, so hopefully this thread will be chalk full of examples of everyone's hard work!

 

[Lady Day]

There is a victory garden thread.

Searching is fun!

LD

 

[Foofoogal]

I searched but could not find it. I don't think the search works for me. It just always goes back to current menu. Maybe cause I am seen as a vendor though I am a closed one now.

can you merge the 2 maybe.

 

[Viola]

I'm not getting a hit for a garden thread on search either? [huh]

I'm gardening in that my bulbs are coming up in the yard and things are budding, but I haven't bought any vegetable starts yet. I did buy a pineapple solely because I want the top to try to start my own plant; pineapple plants at the nursery last year were going for 25 bucks!

All my gardening is organic. I like to be able to eat my veggies in the garden without worrying about getting poison off them.

 

[Lady Day]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=29037&highlight=victory

LD

 

[fortworthgal]

I plant a large herb garden every year, we put it in the ground maybe 3 weeks ago. I've already harvested some cilantro! This year I am also putting in a vegetable garden - I have started my tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, and cabbage indoors, but need to get out there and put them into the ground. I just haven't made the time, yet. Perhaps this weekend!

 

[Foofoogal]

Though I cannot have a garden currently in Arkansas they start planting about April 15th. I am so looking forward to the local farmers markets.