The 2019 Gardening Thread.

[foxxycat]

Yeah, the squirrels dig up my yard pretty good. Natural aeration I guess. I have tried growing tomatoes, pumpkins and squash but they all get eaten or just chewed on. Not sure whether it is raccoons, squirrels, opossums or rabbits though.

Wood chucks...which reminds me I have to put some netting around the babies with stones to hold it down...They were still intact this morning...we shall see. lol.

 

[foxxycat]

Years ago, after working up our garden we would roll out heavy black plastic where the tomatoes were to be planted, then my father would cut an 'x' for each plant and use a tire to keep the flaps folded back. It kept the soil warm, moist, and weed-free. We used to plant 4 rows of Morton hybrids in our 30' by 60' garden.

We did this back in the 80s. We got some good sized produce from this method. It was common to see black plastic in people's yards. I was trying to remember how many feet it was-it was huge like a big double size garage sized garden. we did tons of different things. beans, corn, sun flowers, pumpkins, summer squash, broccoli but it always went to seed, radishes, carrots, peppers, cukes of course, and probably more I forgot about. we did the corn in the top left corner so it wouldn't shade anything and the shorter stuff down bottom, the pumpkins/squash was down in the marshy side of garden near the property line. it wasn't totally flat, it had a slight slope downwards. I remember by August the weeds would take over and my mother would just say to hell with it So as a kid I did some weeding but ya know I rather ride my bike than sweat in the sun anyday.

 

[mama africa]

Since my two beloved chickens were killed by a marten about two months ago, I decided to transform my chicken run into a small fruit and vegetable garden.

I have catmint, a few butternut plants, round yellow zucchini and Hokkaido pumpkin plants, a small fig tree, a small raspberry bush and a strawberry plant and a cherry tomato plant in a pot.

I welcomed the rain today.

 

[NY cat man]

The babies are especially curious and nosy. The chew through the chicken wire some how and bounce around when they get noticed because they forgot how they got in in the first place.

Plants still get ruined. It's been years since we've had a decent vegetable garden and I wanted to get into flowers this year. I also have so many indoor plants that do much better outside but I can't leave them outside so they end up staying inside year round - and they are doing poorly.

Would a squirrel feeder help?

Just put up a bird feeder and it automatically becomes a squirrel feeder. Ask me how I know.

 

[NY cat man]

Okay, everyone, it's time to put on your thinking caps and tell me what kind of flowers these are. My neighbor has a bunch of them and has offered me some, but she doesn't know what they are, as they were planted by the previous owner.

 

[mama africa]

Okay, everyone, it's time to put on your thinking caps and tell me what kind of flowers these are. My neighbor has a bunch of them and has offered me some, but she doesn't know what they are, as they were planted by the previous owner.View attachment 286621View attachment 286622

N NY cat man : mountain cornflower, bachelor's button, montane knapweed or mountain bluet

Have a look here : Centaurea montana - Wikipedia

 

[susanm9006]

Just put up a bird feeder and it automatically becomes a squirrel feeder. Ask me how I know.

Put Golden Safflower in the feeder instead of sunflower. The birds love it and the squirrels leave it alone.

 

[NY cat man]

N NY cat man : mountain cornflower, bachelor's button, montane knapweed or mountain bluet

Have a look here : Centaurea montana - Wikipedia

Thank you. After reading up on them, I'm not so sure I want them in the garden.
On another note, this is an example of the sort of neighbors we have. This mysteriously appeared one day, and nobody would admit to it.

 

[Norachan]

Since my two beloved chickens were killed by a marten about two months ago, I decided to transform my chicken run into a small fruit and vegetable garden.

That's a shame about your chickens.

tell me what kind of flowers these are.

They're so pretty!

This mysteriously appeared one day, and nobody would admit to it.

At least they're not dumping real kittens in your garden. 3 of my current cats mysteriously appeared on my front door step that way.

 

[rubysmama]

Watch out for those @#%&♤☆#!## ferns! We had some that a neighbor gave us, and they started to take over the place with those underground runners, so I dug them up about 3 years ago, but I'm still getting new eruptions of the buggers.

Maybe I have a slow spreading variety, as I was given 1 fern 7 or 8 years ago, and it rarely has "babies", as all these years later, I only have 8 ferns this year, and one from last year even seems to have died.

I did notice "runners" when I was moving them yesterday, and wondered if it was part of the ferns, or someone other type of root.

They're planted in a back corner, surrounded by maple tree roots, so not much else will grow there. I do have a few Lily of the Valley's that have come from the neighbour's yard. I know they are very invasive, but aren't really thriving. Course I do pull them out when I see them.

Here's a pic of my new little fern garden. The concrete base is the bottom of a bird bath. I need help lifting the "bath" part, so don't have it assembled for the season yet.

I found more tomatoes yesterday!! Nothing ripe of course; but they are starting to grow!

Wow! Already! I think any tomato's planted in my garden would be asking for a blankets, as the night's are still pretty cool. For that matter, so are the days.

This is the mongo host a. For reference, the grasshopper is about 30" tall.

That's really coming along!

Envy here. I was excited last week because my tulips finally bloomed. It is a very very late spring.

Very, very cool, wet, and late spring here too.

Does anyone have problems with squirrels?

No, in fact, I rarely see a squirrel.

Since my two beloved chickens were killed by a marten about two months ago,

Oh, how horrible.

I welcomed the rain today.

Did you want more rain? If so, I'll ask mother nature if she'll divert some of ours your way.

Just put up a bird feeder and it automatically becomes a squirrel feeder. Ask me how I know.

a small raspberry bush

Speaking of invasive plants...
My neighbour planted raspberries right by the fence. Guess what's growing in my garden and lawn?

Okay, everyone, it's time to put on your thinking caps and tell me what kind of flowers these are. My neighbor has a bunch of them and has offered me some, but she doesn't know what they are, as they were planted by the previous owner.

I have one of those. It looks like it's planning to bloom soon.

Thank you. After reading up on them, I'm not so sure I want them in the garden.

I just read about them too, and now I'm not sure I want to keep mine. It has grown A LOT in one year.

On another note, this is an example of the sort of neighbors we have. This mysteriously appeared one day, and nobody would admit to it.

That's adorable.

At least they're not dumping real kittens in your garden. 3 of my current cats mysteriously appeared on my front door step that way.

That's so sad. At least they found the front door of someone to take them in.

 

[maggiedemi]

On another note, this is an example of the sort of neighbors we have. This mysteriously appeared one day, and nobody would admit to it.

I can't figure out, is that a good thing or a bad thing? Good I assume?

 

[NY cat man]

I can't figure out, is that a good thing or a bad thing? Good I assume?

Again, you assume correctly.

 

[posiepurrs]

Squirrels are a large PITA here, eating blooms, bulbs, and anything else they can get their little paws on.

As far as bulbs go, try daffodils - they won't touch them.

I do have a few Lily of the Valley's that have come from the neighbour's yard. I know they are very invasive, but aren't really thriving. Course I do pull them out when I see them.

You may want to rethink this - they are on the list of the ten most expensive cut flowers ($350 a bunch).

I got a golden arborvitae to replace the Rose of Sharon I jus took out. I wanted an weeping evergreen, but upon researching they all would be to big for the spot so I settled. IF I could have afforded it I would have gotten a winter hardy camellia but the only ones I could find were around $40-60 for a 2 inch pot. I needed something a tad larger than that! While shopping for it, I found a red quince on the mark down rack. I have been wanting this for awhile now. So I rescued it and will find a spot for it. I have the peach colored one and love it. I need to stay out of nurseries now though since I am afflicted with what I call 'plunkitis' - the buying of plants with no idea where you will put them! Right now, I have the arborvitae, a fern, 3 lantanas, the quince, and still some seedlings I started (delphinium, coneflowers, rubeckia and some vegetables (tomatoes, and cucumbers) to plant.

 

[foxxycat]

yep next month is a plant sale at a local library and last year I bought cone flowers and lavender that are still in pots. I gave away a few of them but still have them here-I need to just bite the bullet and rototll the long strip garden and start over..but there's still some ground covers I don't want to pull up, like thyme.

 

[foxxycat]

In regards to ticks=a towns person told me about getting some nematodes and applying them to the areas where we like to hang out. They are not cheap, they recommended arbico-organics.com and said to get Sf/Hb Combo for our area=I need to use one of those hose sprayers and set it to sprayer to get the right amount- I think he said it takes 7 to 10 days to kill off the ticks/fleas etc. But it's a safe way to do it without chemicals=I will let you all know how it works-I ordered the hose canister sprayer thingy off Amazon and also ordered Neem Oil to deal with the fungus infections that always seems to get to my Bee Balm.

It can be harmful to bees so I have to be sure to spray it early morning or late evening to avoid harming them-this neem oil also supposed to drive out Japanese beetles-which are grubs when babies. I have noticed tons of holes in the yard from birds/animals digging to eat the grubs plus my grass isn't the healthiest. I would love to see less japanese beetles eat my rose bushes! I only have 4 of them, 2 are regular ornamental roses, the other 2 are bush rose type like beach roses but white.

Tonight I will be repotting the yellow and blue petunias and filling the containers I set up-I have 2 more pots to dump soil/add new to do but soon all the petunias will be planted where I want them-the next project is dig up the 2 largest gardens and amend with compost-I have 3 bags of compost so far which won't go far. I also going to rip out most of the Vinca that has spread-it's pretty but very invasive. My false Sunflowers are now 6 to 10 inches tall=they grew 2 inches in one day. With the rain last night-I expect them to grow even more. I got a new pitch fork at the Flea market sunday so I can quickly turn over the various plants and stuff growing. I can't wait till I can actually sit in the shade and read a book- July-August is usually too hot for me to do anything so I have to work like heck to get everything done.

One more project is digging up these weeds that have killed my grass-it's a vine that makes these yellow flowers-hawk weed I think it's called. It makes runners and very invasive-every year I pull up spots of it then it comes back the following year. never caught up!

 

[rubysmama]

You may want to rethink this - they are on the list of the ten most expensive cut flowers ($350 a bunch).

Wow! I used to have a bunch of my own lily of the valley, but wasn't crazy about the scent, and also read they are very toxic, even to humans. Plus they're invasive and want to take over the entire garden.

I have noticed tons of holes in the yard from birds/animals digging to eat the grubs plus my grass isn't the healthiest.

Same here. I've thought about getting the nemotodes for the grubs, but bonus if they get rid of ticks too. Curious to see how it works for you.

 

[NY cat man]

I think I have found some plants to fill in more empty spaces. I was perusing the web site of a local grower and came up with 3 contenders, all perennials. The first is a coneflower called 'Coral Craze', the next is a kniphofia called 'Backdraft', and the third is a veronica called 'Wizard of Ahhs'. All are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies, and the kniphofia attracts honeybees as well. My wallet stands to take a serious hit.

 

[DreamerRose]

Okay, everyone, it's time to put on your thinking caps and tell me what kind of flowers these are. My neighbor has a bunch of them and has offered me some, but she doesn't know what they are, as they were planted by the previous owner.View attachment 286621View attachment 286622

It's a mountain bluet, native to the American west. Mountain bluet - FineGardening

I had one for a few years, and it was never invasive in the garden and quite attractive. It must be one of those short-lived perennials.

For those of you with four-legged pests, try spraying your plants with Liquid Fence. It's all natural - garlic, red pepper and other things - and the rabbits, etc., do leave the plants alone. The downside is you have to reapply after a rain. However, I found once the plants got big enough, the wildlife didn't eat them. They like things young and tender, like we do.

 

[mama africa]

That's a shame about your chickens.

Shame on me; I forgot to lock them in their coop at night

Did you want more rain? If so, I'll ask mother nature if she'll divert some of ours your way.

Thank you, rubysmama !

The zucchini plant starts flowering

 

[NY cat man]

Shame on me; I forgot to lock them in their coop at night



Thank you, rubysmama !

The zucchini plant starts flowering

View attachment 286884

We have had so much rain that Lake Ontario, which lies just to our north, is near-record level. I would gladly see a few million liters sent your way. Just saying.