Gardens vegetable, flower or other?

[Oldsarge]

It hasn't been a very good tomato or zucchini year but the chard and the flageolet beans are doing very well. The avocado will be near falling down next year there are so many fruits on it and the orchids are coming along nicely. When the next cattleya opens in a week or so, I'll post pix. I love orchids . . .

 

[jamespowers]

Thanks! That sunflower was not going to give up!

Mine is taller than me now---no flower opening as yet though.

 

[jamespowers]

Thanks, Lolly!

James, yes they do... I have been blaming the bees for the fact that the basil is trying to take over!

Basil is a weed just as much as mint is in warm climates. it will take over. Lemon Balm(or just plain Balm) is another weed that just keeps coming back too.

 

[Tatum]

Basil is a weed just as much as mint is in warm climates. it will take over. Lemon Balm(or just plain Balm) is another weed that just keeps coming back too.

Same for Bee Balm, but the bees prefer the basil. The rain has been helping my garden but handicapping the bees' production. I opened up the big hive today and was surprised that the honey super I put on two weeks ago wasn't full, but they haven't been able to get out much.

I just split my mint, as Gracie Lee and one of my neighbors want some, and I have more than I know what to do with!

Anyone want to come over for mojitos?

 

[rue]

Me, me, me

 

[lolly_loisides]

I just split my mint, as Gracie Lee and one of my neighbors want some, and I have more than I know what to do with!

This recipe is a yummy way to use up lots of mint (I never bother with the ground rice though).

 

[Viola]

What is unkillable in pots in a hot environment? So far my best success since moving to such a warm climate has been the very vintage but humble geranium (pelagonium). You know, the classic red-flowering one that doesn't ask for anything. I have murdered a tree fern and my gardenia is quite sad in its pot.

All I have is a balcony, and it is roofed, and has a southern exposure... which is to say shady side, in this hemisphere...

My ponytail palm and cordyline are doing okay, though. And a baby ficus. And a couple succulents. I am doing things with baskets and pots. Strawberries are on sale locally but is strawberries a lost cause without direct sun? People grow citrus in the ground locally really easily but not in the shade!

I moved from Pennsylvania to Australia and really I don't know anything about gardening in this climate, which is very Texas/California-ish.

 

[lolly_loisides]

Ponytails are pretty much bullet proof. I also have Chinese jade, flapjack plants & seasonal herbs in pots. Flapjacks are nice, they change colour depending on the season

(edit) My lemon & mandarin are in the shade, the lemon does well but the mandarin, not so much. Meyer Lemons seem hardier than Eureka Lemons. One more suggestion, oyster plants grow in the shade & are lovely.

 

[Puzzicato]

This recipe is a yummy way to use up lots of mint (I never bother with the ground rice though).

Mmmm larb! I do the ground rice - I love the texture!

What is unkillable in pots in a hot environment? So far my best success since moving to such a warm climate has been the very vintage but humble geranium (pelagonium). You know, the classic red-flowering one that doesn't ask for anything. I have murdered a tree fern and my gardenia is quite sad in its pot.

All I have is a balcony, and it is roofed, and has a southern exposure... which is to say shady side, in this hemisphere...

My ponytail palm and cordyline are doing okay, though. And a baby ficus. And a couple succulents. I am doing things with baskets and pots. Strawberries are on sale locally but is strawberries a lost cause without direct sun? People grow citrus in the ground locally really easily but not in the shade!

I moved from Pennsylvania to Australia and really I don't know anything about gardening in this climate, which is very Texas/California-ish.

We always did well with geraniums and ficus. Chillies do really well in containers and make an attractive shrub. Where in NSW are you? My grandmother has potted hydrangeas on her south-facing balcony but she is an amazing gardener, so I don't know if that is luck or management!

 

[Tatum]

Rue, c'mon then!

Thanks Lolly, I will take a look.

Viola, I bet you could do some mint. You would have to split it occasionally so it doesn't get root bound, and maybe tea roses? I have one that I literally neglect, and it is the happiest plant in the yard. It's about to bloom again. It's in full sun pretty much all day.

Puzzicato, probably management on the hydrangeas. They wilt awful in the heat, and are water hogs. I have a tough time keeping them here. Good for your grandmother!

 

[rue]

I wish I could!

 

[LocktownDog]

Peppers, grapes, eggplant, soybeans, squash, cukes, lima beans, corn. All coming along wonderfully.

Tomatoes aren't setting. The June cold and now bugs have taken out all my tobacco. Carrots are just plain struggling. Blueberries are growing great but never set fruit. Strawberries are done for the year.

Each year I get closer to decyphering ol' mother nature here. Next season I will be planting only short season crops (ala Alaskan gardeners). Can't wait to move back to Oregon where the weather is normal.

 

[jamespowers]

Same for Bee Balm, but the bees prefer the basil. The rain has been helping my garden but handicapping the bees' production. I opened up the big hive today and was surprised that the honey super I put on two weeks ago wasn't full, but they haven't been able to get out much.

I just split my mint, as Gracie Lee and one of my neighbors want some, and I have more than I know what to do with!

Anyone want to come over for mojitos?

Mint is a weed that grows everywhere if you don't keep it in a pot out here. Round up keeps them down though.
Mojitos sound good but it is too cold here for that.:eusa_doh:

 

[jamespowers]

Peppers, grapes, eggplant, soybeans, squash, cukes, lima beans, corn. All coming along wonderfully.

Tomatoes aren't setting. The June cold and now bugs have taken out all my tobacco. Carrots are just plain struggling. Blueberries are growing great but never set fruit. Strawberries are done for the year.

Each year I get closer to decyphering ol' mother nature here. Next season I will be planting only short season crops (ala Alaskan gardeners). Can't wait to move back to Oregon where the weather is normal.

The weather ain't too normal out here either. The tomatoes are big green plants with no/little fruit on them because the night time temperatures are not warm enough. The squirrels nailed through the damsons before they could get ripe enough to eat (fortunately there is another tree that they ignore for some reason), The grapes, peaches and nectarines have suffered with mildew because of the Loooooogggg rainy season. The strawberries are still doing ok though. Plenty of flowers and such. The oranges and lemons do great no matter what and that sunflower is beginning to develop its flower.
Welcome to California gardening.

 

[Viola]

Mmmm larb! I do the ground rice - I love the texture!



We always did well with geraniums and ficus. Chillies do really well in containers and make an attractive shrub. Where in NSW are you? My grandmother has potted hydrangeas on her south-facing balcony but she is an amazing gardener, so I don't know if that is luck or management!

Campbelltown, south-west of Sydney.

Ooh, hydrangeas are LOVELY. I was able to have them back home, they just had to be kept moist... hmmm. Thanks for reminding me of them!

 

[Wally_Hood]

It hasn't been a very good tomato or zucchini year but the chard and the flageolet beans are doing very well. The avocado will be near falling down next year there are so many fruits on it and the orchids are coming along nicely. When the next cattleya opens in a week or so, I'll post pix. I love orchids . . .

Our zucchini has been growing like crazy, but the tomatoes are not moving along; the bell peppers have produced only one or two peppers each, although they were delicious.

 

[jamespowers]

Campbelltown, south-west of Sydney.

Ooh, hydrangeas are LOVELY. I was able to have them back home, they just had to be kept moist... hmmm. Thanks for reminding me of them!

Some miniature roses would be nice to add tot he mix. They require less care and watering than the larger versions. Both love heat though. You can grow yellow roses there without worrying about mildew.

There are other choices though:

 

[Puzzicato]

Campbelltown, south-west of Sydney.

Ooh, hydrangeas are LOVELY. I was able to have them back home, they just had to be kept moist... hmmm. Thanks for reminding me of them!

The Shire is nice!

Have a drive around the neighbourhood and see what other people are growing. I know frangipani do well around there, but I don't know if you can do them in containers.

 

[lolly_loisides]

The Shire is nice!

Have a drive around the neighbourhood and see what other people are growing. I know frangipani do well around there, but I don't know if you can do them in containers.

You certainly can grow frangipani in pots. They do like sun though.

 

[Tatum]

Some miniature roses would be nice to add tot he mix. They require less care and watering than the larger versions. Both love heat though. You can grow yellow roses there without worrying about mildew.

Ooh, added that to my wish list. Yellow roses get mildew? I guess yellow's out for me.

You certainly can grow frangipani in pots. They do like sun though.

I see them in pots here all the time. Maybe a desert rose too? There is one down the street that I covet, it's so gorgeous when in bloom.