Anyone else on here do a yearly garden?

 

Here is what I have planted for this season:

 

14 assorted tomato plants.

8 assorted egg plants.

6 Italian sweet basil plants.

6 spinach plants.

6 assorted sweet bell peppers plants.

14 assorted hot pepper plants (Italian peperoncino, Jamaican scotch bonets, Trinidad scopions, Peruvian chiles).

 

 

I'll see if I can get some pics tomorrow.

Good selection!

This year we have: tomatoes, kale, strawberrys, grapes, squash and assortment of herbs and mint.

 

No comparison to the taste of growing your own vs the supermarket.

I would if I didn't have a Hurd of 10-15 deer living in my yard, from the depths of hell that destroy anything I try to grow. they have no idea who they're messing with!

 

 

I have Basil, Italian parsley, oragano, and chives, growing on my deck in one of those hanging railing boxes. That's about the only place I can get anything to survive the night. I have a shit ton of Mint all over my yard I planted as a kid, from one plant I took home from my grandmother's house. Deer hate mint.

 

I just planted ours on Saturday. 16 tomato plants. 16 green bean. 8 egg plant. 4 Lima bean. 4 jalapeño's. 4 green bell peppers. 4 other pepper plants. Last year we had great success with beans, tomatoes and peppers. We have tried melons without success. Our eggplants were theroughly enjoyed by Mr and Mrs Turtle, our friendly box turtles. They eat a chunk out of one and move to another, I try to convince them to eat one completely but they are liberals and are fine consuming my work without considering where it comes from.

Tomato Horn Worms: fill a cup with hot soapy water and dip the worm into the cup, if it's clinging to a branch dip the branch, they quickly die and fall off. The soap kind-of breaks them down. It's gross so I use disposable cups.

Good selection!

This year we have: tomatoes, kale, strawberrys, grapes, squash and assortment of herbs and mint.

 

No comparison to the taste of growing your own vs the supermarket.

 

I also have a concord grape vine in the back that is at least 50 years old and still producing, I'm thinking about making some cuttings eventually.

 

Those scotch bonets are great peppers if you like heat but still want flavor

I just planted ours on Saturday. 16 tomato plants. 16 green bean. 8 egg plant. 4 Lima bean. 4 jalapeño's. 4 green bell peppers. 4 other pepper plants. Last year we had great success with beans, tomatoes and peppers. We have tried melons without success. Our eggplants were theroughly enjoyed by Mr and Mrs Turtle, our friendly box turtles. They eat a chunk out of one and move to another, I try to convince them to eat one completely but they are liberals and are fine consuming my work without considering where it comes from.

Tomato Horn Worms: fill a cup with hot soapy water and dip the worm into the cup, if it's clinging to a branch dip the branch, they quickly die and fall off. The soap kind-of breaks them down. It's gross so I use disposable cups.

 

Nice selection

 

Thanks for the tip on getting rid of tomato horn worms, luckily I've never had them on my plants but if I do I'll try this

I would if I didn't have a Hurd of 10-15 deer living in my yard, from the depths of hell that destroy anything I try to grow. they have no idea who they're messing with! I have Basil, Italian parsley, oragano, and chives, growing on my deck in one of those hanging railing boxes. That's about the only place I can get anything to survive the night. I have a shit ton of Mint all over my yard I planted as a kid, from one plant I took home from my grandmother's house. Deer hate mint.

 

When I lived in Upper Township we backed the woods and the deer would destroy everything, I found from my father that fishing line kept them out of the garden. Run a few spools around stakes and when the deer would bump into the line they would turn around.

When I lived in Upper Township we backed the woods and the deer would destroy everything, I found from my father that fishing line kept them out of the garden. Run a few spools around stakes and when the deer would bump into the line they would turn around.

I tried that, fences they jump over, yelling at them they ignore, the only thing they seem to understand is crossbow bolts!

I tried that, fences they jump over, yelling at them they ignore, the only thing they seem to understand is crossbow bolts!

 

Hang irish spring soap from a tree,

 

or

 

Go to a barber shop and pickup hair sweepings and put it on the ground around the fence.

Tomato's, bell peppers, cayenne peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, kale, 10 varieties of lettuce, broccoli, snow peas, cucumbers, watermelons, wild raspberries, sunflowers and I also have 10 apple trees outside of the garden 

Mint (which never dies), strawberries(also never die), a few different kinds of tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, asparagus, jalapenos, serrano, chili peppers and habaneros

Do you have problems with smaller critters like squirrels and the like?

I put one tomato plant this past weekend. Going to try eggplants from seeds. Will also do some red peppers and maybe one or two more things.

 

I have never grown eggplant before. How much room am I going to need? I grew some pumpkins one year when my kids wanted them. Holy smokes! The vines must have grown at least 15 feet! Are eggplants as expansive? May not do them if that's the case because I have a small backyard.

Did a number of gardens as a kid. Mixed success. Really liked gardening but I just don't have time unfortunately. You guys have some nice gardens underway. Definitely nice to grow your own vegetables.

 

Friend of mine always talks about potato beetles. Basically has to deal with them manually. Lot of work goes into it. So hats off to you guys.

We live in an apartment with a balcony so I do what I can for a garden in pots. I'll be planting a few different kinds of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and whatever else the wife sees. The good thing is I don't have to worry about critters being on the third floor.

I just planted ours on Saturday. 16 tomato plants. 16 green bean. 8 egg plant. 4 Lima bean. 4 jalapeño's. 4 green bell peppers. 4 other pepper plants. Last year we had great success with beans, tomatoes and peppers. We have tried melons without success. Our eggplants were theroughly enjoyed by Mr and Mrs Turtle, our friendly box turtles. They eat a chunk out of one and move to another, I try to convince them to eat one completely but they are liberals and are fine consuming my work without considering where it comes from.

Tomato Horn Worms: fill a cup with hot soapy water and dip the worm into the cup, if it's clinging to a branch dip the branch, they quickly die and fall off. The soap kind-of breaks them down. It's gross so I use disposable cups.

We've got another couple weeks up here before the frost threat is over.........

Do you have problems with smaller critters like squirrels and the like?

 

They haven't gotten to my garden yet but flower beds are a different story! I cannot plant flowers without the beds being torn apart.

We've got another couple weeks up here before the frost threat is over.........

 

http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-new-jersey-last-frost-date-map.php

I put one tomato plant this past weekend. Going to try eggplants from seeds. Will also do some red peppers and maybe one or two more things.

 

I have never grown eggplant before. How much room am I going to need? I grew some pumpkins one year when my kids wanted them. Holy smokes! The vines must have grown at least 15 feet! Are eggplants as expansive? May not do them if that's the case because I have a small backyard.

 

No, eggplants are not nearly as expansive as pumpkins. The ones I grow usually reach 3 or 4 feet in height and I space them at about 32 inches.

 

I use organic plan-tone, it's (IMO) one of the best fertilizers. 

 

 

 

For hot peppers I usually buy from superhotchiles.com if I don't have seeds on hand or it's late in the season to start from seed.

 

Nice healthy plants come USPS Priority from California. Pot them and slowly introduce them to light this takes a week or two and transplant.

 

No, eggplants are not nearly as expansive as pumpkins. The ones I grow usually reach 3 or 4 feet in height and I space them at about 32 inches.

 

I use organic plan-tone, it's (IMO) one of the best fertilizers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So they grow more upright rather than on a vine. Inferesting. Did a little googlefu last night. Sounds like its best to start them inside and transfer them outside once they are hardy enough. Will be setting up my little indoor seed starter tonight.

 

Thanks for the info.

I have a question for those with gardens.  Do you use beds like these? or just prep flat ground?  The bed this guy is preparing seems somewhat hard core.  Landscape mat, about 12" of vertical board and some critter fence.  But this guy probably doesn't have deer since those arborvitae haven't been touched.  I'm thinking about just planting a few things in the hopes I can get the kids to help out a bit.  But I don't want to build these sorts of beds if I don't have to.

 

Tomatoes, zucchini, kale, swiss chard, green and yellow beans, snow peas. A fig tree that I hope comes back after 2 harsh winters and an old pear tree that produces loads of the sweetest juiciest pears I've ever eaten.

My garden is along the concrete of my pool, so the back is along the pool fence and the front is defined by a 2x10 sunk into the ground.  I did the 2x10 hoping to protect from moles, it seems to work.  Each spring I pull out the plant remains, till the ground and add soil before planting.  The raised bed above would protect from all sorts of little critters and you could even make a hose hook-up for a soaking hose, it's a cool bed but not necessary.  I have a fenced in yard so the creatures I share with a mostly Mr and Mrs Turtle, occasionally a rabbit but the wolf urine I use to keep stray cats away also keeps the bunnies away.

I have a question for those with gardens.  Do you use beds like these? or just prep flat ground?  The bed this guy is preparing seems somewhat hard core.  Landscape mat, about 12" of vertical board and some critter fence.  But this guy probably doesn't have deer since those arborvitae haven't been touched.  I'm thinking about just planting a few things in the hopes I can get the kids to help out a bit.  But I don't want to build these sorts of beds if I don't have to.

 

 

I like raised beds because they give you more control, but really you can start with just some flower pots or an old tire filled with dirt or an old kid pool or even just ripping out some section of lawn. Everything can work, just some thing work better for certain location. In my case I have a lot of clay and I wanted better soil so I use raised bets. 

 

At the end of the day as long as you have decent soil, water, and sun you can grow stuff. Start with SOMETHING, doesn't matter what, and later you can figure out what works best for you. 

Thnx Vlad.  I was thinking it helps with drainage as well.  I've got some big flower pots and a decent location to try.  I'll give something a shot this weekend.  And I'll probably see you Sunday at CJRPC match.  I'll be the guy walking around looking like he's lost.

Kevin125 - I took out the grass along one side of property line. Like 2-3 wide but 15 feet long where I'll plant food. I have a wider section near the house with flowers and shrubs.

 

You don't need to be fancy. Just dirt, proper sunlight and water.

Tomato horn worms. Something cool is if you ever see them and they have what looks to be little eggs hanging off of them. Its not. Those are parasitic wasps that actually kill the worm. If youve ever seen it youll know what im talking about. Raised beds are the way to go for a home owner. Instead of cutting off the 4by4 at the wood level. Cut them about 4 foot and you use that to put up chicken wire around the bed to keep the animals out.

Kevin125 - I took out the grass along one side of property line. Like 2-3 wide but 15 feet long where I'll plant food. I have a wider section near the house with flowers and shrubs.

 

You don't need to be fancy. Just dirt, proper sunlight and water.

 

And good fertilizer

Tomato horn worms. Something cool is if you ever see them and they have what looks to be little eggs hanging off of them. Its not. Those are parasitic wasps that actually kill the worm. If youve ever seen it youll know what im talking about. Raised beds are the way to go for a home owner. Instead of cutting off the 4by4 at the wood level. Cut them about 4 foot and you use that to put up chicken wire around the bed to keep the animals out.

 

While I like the idea of raised beds we have always done without them, good soil with organic fertilizer and I've always had nice yields from my plants.

 

I have heard you also get better drainage with raised beds.