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Wolfy posted:I'm interested in starting a small garden. I have a lot of space that just gets used for nothing. The weather is good year round so that's a plus. Biggest problem(which well, is frankly a cool problem to have in southern California) is my area has rabbits EVERYWHERE. I don't want to construct some chicken wire monstrosity or leave anything that's going to kill them. Substantially raised beds maybe?
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Aug 15, 2011 11:50
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This is less of a veggie and herb question and more of a regular old plant question, but I figure it's close enough to fit the thread. My fiancée's grandfather just gave us this plant, and I was Basically, I'm wondering what it is and if it needs direct sunlight or shade, how much water, etc. and also if the sugar thing is her grandfather giving us weird / bad advice or if I should actually do it.  
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Aug 15, 2011 13:45
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That's a begonia, they're fairly common tropical houseplants/bedding annuals. They prefer partial shade (sun during morning/afternoon is best, no direct sunlight at peak sun) and although they like their soil to be perpetually moist they don't like wet feet, so moist yet well-drained. They also like humidity, so if you keep it indoors you'll probably want to mist it with a spray bottle every couple of days. I dunno about the sugar thing, that's probably just some cheapo substitute for plant food. As for the post about rabbits- I have rabbits all over my yard, as my neighbor has a warren under her back porch. My rabbits never bother my veggies though, for two reasons. One, I have raised beds, and companion plant things like basil, borage, dill, and marigolds around the outside. They're only raised 12", but that with the smelly plants on the borders seems to be enough to discourage them some. Two (and probably most important) my backyard is absolutely chock full of clover. I have more clover than I do grass, and the rabbits go nuts for the stuff. Jumping up into my raised beds and searching past all the companion plants is too much effort when there's a clover smorgasbord in easy reach. Comedy response: plant catnip and lure stray cats to your yard to chase them off. Of course, then you'll have to deal with cats trying to make your beds into a litter box. 
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Aug 15, 2011 14:33
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Fists Up posted:So now I want to plan it a bit better. What can I plant that is quite easy to just let go crazy and doesn't require clipping/watching/pruning. Im going away again a couple of times over summer (shorter than 6 weeks though) and so really the only thing I could tell someone to do is water it every day/second day. Root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and parsnips should work. Squash can definitely go crazy with just watering. Try to find local gardening clubs and ask for advice on what grows best with low maintenance.
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Aug 15, 2011 17:09
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Not quite Veggie/Herbs but had to swap some frames today, so got these: Honey! 12 frames total, and just guessing from feel they're probably about 8lb each. The whole room smells delicious now. They come from these, although until just recently I only had 2 (split one into two): 
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Aug 16, 2011 02:44
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What the hell do I do with all of these figs? There's hundreds of them growing on this fig tree. I started off getting 2 a day last week and am up to 4-5 per day the last couple days.
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Aug 16, 2011 22:00
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I wish I had such problems. Fig jam!
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Aug 16, 2011 22:05
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A flying piece of posted:What the hell do I do with all of these figs? There's hundreds of them growing on this fig tree. I started off getting 2 a day last week and am up to 4-5 per day the last couple days. Send them to me, I will eat all of them in about a day. God I love figs.
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Aug 16, 2011 22:31
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My parents have a fig tree about twice the size of that one and they make a TON of fig jam and eat a bunch of raw figs. I like to cook fancy dishes with them, personally. They are included in lots of pork dishes and some gourmet appetizers. Those things are 9 bucks a pound at the supermarket, so you're allowed to get fancy with 'em.
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Aug 16, 2011 22:32
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Faldoncow posted:Not quite Veggie/Herbs but had to swap some frames today, so got these: Not that it isn't interesting, but there's actually a thread on beekeeping in this forum where you might get more knowledgeable discussion.
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Aug 16, 2011 23:26
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Bremen posted:Not that it isn't interesting, but there's actually a thread on beekeeping in this forum where you might get more knowledgeable discussion. drat, I failed at looking. I'll just pretend that I posted it here to show non-beekeepers delicious honey. It's seriously so tasty.
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Aug 17, 2011 01:19
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A flying piece of posted:What the hell do I do with all of these figs? There's hundreds of them growing on this fig tree. I started off getting 2 a day last week and am up to 4-5 per day the last couple days. Maybe figs are different where you are, but that seems awful close to a house for a plant with strong, invasive roots!
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Aug 18, 2011 11:35
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Narxysus posted:Maybe figs are different where you are, but that seems awful close to a house for a plant with strong, invasive roots! My grandmother planted it a long time ago... it's her house, not mine. I just have my garden there because I don't have a yard of my own. We live right on the boarder of zones 6 and 7, and her house is at one of the highest points in the town which can get quite cold with wind. I'm not sure if the fig tree would be alive if it wasn't right next to the house for warmth.
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Aug 18, 2011 20:26
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So this isnt a veggie or an herb but I have a plant question that maybe you guys can help me out with... I've been growing this bird of paradise for a few months and just a couple of days ago I noticed it was under attack. Whats the best method for getting rid of these things - and what are they? 
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Aug 18, 2011 23:13
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Teepkick Shakur posted:So this isnt a veggie or an herb but I have a plant question that maybe you guys can help me out with... Put your camera in macro mode (the setting will have a picture of a flower) and reshoot, it will be much more clear.
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Aug 19, 2011 00:17
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Its a phone. Anyway they are tiny black furry bugs that I originally thought were mold until i touched it and they started moving. I'm thinking their are aphids? What in general would be the best natural way to get rid of bugs of this nature? I hear a simple mixture of soap and water may do the trick?
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Aug 19, 2011 00:38
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Can't tell what those are but may be aphids You can squish them by hand, blast them with water or spray them with soap/oil. If there are Argentine ants present they will make the problem worse and should be controlled
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Aug 19, 2011 02:46
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On the reccomendation of this thread, or maybe the other one I can't remember, I got one of those Aerogardens to grow food for my bunnies. The mint is growing beautifully, the parsley's doing okay (slow as gently caress), but my cilantro is a little special ed. Other then the fact that it insists on face planting, it's growing really healthy. What the hell? I'd never heard of cilantro needing to be staked before.
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Aug 19, 2011 17:43
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If you're growing it inside, it might not be getting enough light.
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Aug 19, 2011 17:57
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Alterian posted:If you're growing it inside, it might not be getting enough light. He's got an Aerogarden, it's a hydroponic system with a built in growlight IIRC.
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Aug 19, 2011 20:29
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Bean posted:On the reccomendation of this thread, or maybe the other one I can't remember, I got one of those Aerogardens to grow food for my bunnies. The mint is growing beautifully, the parsley's doing okay (slow as gently caress), but my cilantro is a little special ed. Looks like it was light starved early in life (leggy). Probably has weak roots from not being exposed to wind/movement also Id snip it back to the first node and let it grow from there
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Aug 19, 2011 22:27
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dwoloz posted:Looks like it was light starved early in life (leggy). Probably has weak roots from not being exposed to wind/movement also What exactly is the first node? I can take a guess, but I don't want to gently caress up my plant. Also, how'd it get light starved with a huge grow light over it?
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Aug 19, 2011 23:24
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It's the first part of the stem that has a leaf growing from it.
Teepkick Shakur fucked around with this message at 00:52 on Aug 20, 2011 |
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Aug 20, 2011 00:43
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Bean posted:Also, how'd it get light starved with a huge grow light over it? Grow lights can't possibly match the volume of light put out by the sun, and some plants just need a lot more than others. Moving your grow light just an inch further up can seriously cut down the amount of light that can be utilized by the leaf.
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Aug 26, 2011 05:49
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My reward for climbing a rickety ladder on uneven ground while wearing flip flops: + enough Bramley cooking apples to make a massive crumble. I have got to learn to brew my own cider one of these days.
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Sep 2, 2011 19:46
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Adelaide, South Australia here. As an experiment rather than digging up my cherry tomato plant I let it sit in the ground throughout winter, so it's been in the ground for about 10 months at this point. It's been interesting, the plant obvious died back a fair bit but has stayed fruiting and even producing new leafs. Only producing 2-3 cherry tomatoes a week, but the drat tastiest ones I have ever had. Now the weather is starting to warm up again I need to start thinking about what I will plant for summer and will be doing tomatoes again. Does anyone know if it is at all plausible to cut the tomato back and get a decent crop off it this summer as well? I don't mind if it will be less than a new plant would produce, but I like the idea of seeing how long I can keep the drat thing alive.
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Sep 3, 2011 05:13
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Senor Tron posted:Does anyone know if it is at all plausible to cut the tomato back and get a decent crop off it this summer as well? I have been told that tomatoes are only grown as annuals in the UK because of the weather and it is possible in sunnier climes for them to crop for more than one year. So if you can spare the space why not give it a go. I once managed to keep a chilli plant inside through the winter and it did crop again but not as large a yield as the first year. I have my own question. Its garlic planting season soon here. I was looking at seed garlic online and to be honest the price is ridiculous- £4.50 for two bulbs. Has anyone had any success using supermarket garlic as seed garlic?
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Sep 11, 2011 21:49
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I'm thinking about starting a hydroponic garden to grow basil, peppers, and maybe some other herbs and perhaps tomatoes. My plan is to grow them in mesh pots inside opaque Rubbermaid containers using the tutorial on this instructable, in my basement, using a bunch of CFLs, although I could spring for a grow-light if it's really worth it. I'm only planning on growing six plants. I know weed circles and hydroponics shops are quite helpful for hydroponics, but I was wondering if anyone here has done the same with vegetables. And there's not really any hydroshops near me, so I'll probably be ordering online mostly, save for a few things from Lowes/Agway. Or is hydro needlessly complicated for this? I think it'd be really cool to try and I really want to do it for the experience, but I could alternatively try container growing indoors. I have a budget of about $100, but I already have the containers and a few 40w CFLs (~150w equivalent, according to the packages). I assume I'm going to have to wire something up or use a gooseneck lamp of some sort of the lighting.
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Sep 11, 2011 21:53
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Third Policeman posted:I have my own question. Its garlic planting season soon here. I was looking at seed garlic online and to be honest the price is ridiculous- £4.50 for two bulbs. Has anyone had any success using supermarket garlic as seed garlic? You will get success in some form- it will sprout and grow (anyone who's left a clove around for too long will tell you that!). There's a little bit about why you should buy seed garlic here, but from personal experience garlic grows like a freaking weed (I'm in South East England, your results may vary). Growing from seed garlic (I got mine from a garden centre) always seems to result in a bigger crop, with much more potent cloves. I always have a problem with my garlic though- mine never properly develops a cohesive white outer layer, so I end up with individual muddy cloves. It's very annoying. Apparently garlic is traditionally planted on the shortest day of the year and harvested on the longest. The more you know...
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Sep 12, 2011 00:04
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Started a vegetable garden a few months ago ... Currently growing green beans, tomatoes, green pepper, baby marrow, beetroot, raddish, eggplant, potatoes, okra, lettuce. Planning to add: Swiss Chard, yellow marrow & various types of spinach. I've recently harvested a few turnips & baby potatoes.  In terms of herbs, I have two little window boxes with fenugreek & garden cress. Starting a full herb garden soon. 
Teltrons fucked around with this message at 04:09 on Sep 12, 2011 |
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Sep 12, 2011 03:48
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Ok, so I put in this pepper plant that I bought from the farmer's market. The label said it was a jalapeno plant, but I don't think that's right:  What the heck kind of peppers are these?
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Sep 12, 2011 14:50
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Looks like Purple Beauty, but I'm no pepper expert.
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Sep 12, 2011 16:11
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My father in law got into gardening this year and got some jalapenos from Lowes. When we went to visit them, he was telling me how his jalapenos look strange. I take a look and they were banana peppers! I've started the seeds for my fall/winter garden. I'm planting them in a way so I can make some pvc cold frames when it gets colder. Luckily I don't have to worry about it until November around here. Lets see how it goes. My garden did a lot better this year, but I'm disappointing I couldn't do more and its a little out of control now. I've found out I've developed a thyroid issue and its made me REALLY intolerant to the summer heat so I can't go out and do any gardening. If I'm out working for 15 minutes, I'm sick for the rest of the day.
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Sep 12, 2011 16:51
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I had planned do a variety of peppers this year but started them too soon for the cold, wet spring and late summer. The only survivor was a cayenne that has produced a few so far. I also got a discount better belle plant which put out 2 peppers and then curled up and died, and a hungarian yellow wax pepper plant that almost didn't survive transplanting. I pruned back the yellowing leaves and it did recover but it's still small and I'm not sure I'll get anything out of it. I really need to sit down and start planning my fall/winter garden soon.
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Sep 12, 2011 17:42
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My banana peppers had gotten knocked around real good by Irene, so much so that I figured they were a lost cause. But because of all the rain from Lee and then school starting I hadn't had the time to bother with them. Lo and behold I went out there yesterday to find that 4 of the 8 survived, and although they're totally horizontal now they're still growing. And all the rain they've had dumped on them has caused them to run amok. I picked about 2 pounds of peppers yesterday and will have just as many again tomorrow or the day after. My tomatoes, on the other hand, are kaput. What little fruit that managed to survive Irene all cracked after Lee. Even my zucchini of all things has done poorly, and is now dead. It's been such an odd year. Hopefully the fall will be nicer to my garden. 
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Sep 12, 2011 18:28
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I'm trying to build a raised planter bed for growing tomato plants, herbs, and smaller vegetables. What do people normally do to support the soil on the bottom of the raised planter. I was thinking a wire mesh, sort of like chicken wire, then a layer of that woven husk cloth normally used to prevent weeds and stuff. What do people normally do for a bottom support?
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Sep 12, 2011 18:50
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madlilnerd posted:
Thanks for the link, but I think I will take my chance with supermarket garlic ( £1 for 5 bulbs ) versus seed garlic ( £4.50 for 2 bulbs ). I have heard of the shortest/ longest day thing before but its always been in reference to broad beans. I also read somewhere that the autumn / spring planting divide about broad beans goes back to the Romans turning up in Britain. Anglo-Saxons always planted in autumn but the Romans planted in Spring. It might be a load of crap, but I hate the taste anyway so I don't grow them.
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Sep 12, 2011 20:26
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Third Policeman posted:Thanks for the link, but I think I will take my chance with supermarket garlic ( £1 for 5 bulbs ) versus seed garlic ( £4.50 for 2 bulbs ). I did supermarket garlic last year and while it sprouted, I didn't get any bulb development.
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Sep 12, 2011 21:58
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Well we had a really good turnout with our pepper plants even though I got a horribly late start. The plants were quite small, but produced quite a bit. I am blaming the size on being root bound since they stayed inside and in small peat pots for too long. My habanero's are mostly still green, some ripened though. Going to put some spinach, lettuce and a couple other things in for fall/winter.
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Sep 13, 2011 19:15
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Cpt.Wacky posted:Looks like Purple Beauty, but I'm no pepper expert. At least my garden salsa pepper plant is doing loving fantastic. I must have picked 25 peppers so far and it's still producing.
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Sep 13, 2011 20:12
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