Gardening 2011

[Henrietta23]

I don't see a thread devoted to planning gardens for 2011 yet. Please direct me if I'm missing it! I did notice in the thread for overall plans and dreams for the coming year several of us are extending or starting new gardens. What are you planning for 2011? I always seemed to get sucked in by the seed catalogs that show up this time of year. I battle the trees on all three sides of my backyard for enough sun to grow decent veggies. Problem with those trees is they're not on our property. We thin what we can and hope for the best. This year I am working on DH to help clear a spot in the middle of the yard, fence it in from birds and beasts (ie. chickens, ducks and dogs!) and do some raised beds. So what to grow????
~Tomatoes for sure, for canning and eating. I'm thinking about Amish Paste for sauce and salsa.
~Hot peppers for DH. Some jalapenos and maybe habaneros.
~Carrots because DS loves them and loves to pull them up and eat them after a quick hose rinse
~Beans for eating and canning
~Peas-Sugar snaps because I could live on them!!!
~Onions
~Swiss chard
~Lettuce
~Daikon radishes-love them pickled
~Cucumbers for pickling
That's as far as I've gotten. We have a table in the basement that we can use with heat mats and grow lights. BUT we learned the hard way we need to enclose it in mesh somehow to keep the mice out. One year we went on vacation in April. I had a beautiful flat of peppers coming along nicely. We came back to find the mice had destroyed every seedling. Heart breaking. I haven't attempted starting seeds again since.

 

[BarredBuff]

Well I have a few garden plans, Im not sure if I will go thru with them but anyhow:

1. Convert Old Chicken Run into a Sunflower patch. That way there will be no weeds in there plus a bunch of feed for the critters.
2. Grow some yellow field corn for the critters. Then harvest the fodder for the rabbits.
3. Convert three of the raised beds into carrot beds.
4. Continue to sprout grain for the rabbits in my trays.
5. Grow some corn for corn meal.
6. I would also like to dry some corn and beans.

I think thats it!

ETA: Plus the other stuff!

 

[abifae]

I have NO idea LOLOL!

I know tomatoes did well so I'll start them inside with auntie's help when she says it's time. *laughing*

My compost is frozen but when it warms up, I can mix it with my dirt and have some good soil.

The beans and peas hated the north facing, so will try something that likes more shade. Basil is still alive. None of the other herbs made it but I do tend to forget about living things needing water >.>

It's a good thing my cats are so noisy.

What things grow well in cooler, shaded area? For about two months in the summer they get a decent amount of light, and I do have hanging lamps to supplement a bit, but it still wasn't enough.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Last year I skipped gardening, this year I will not make that same mistake. We have a huge garden (abt 80x100) and I plan on planting everything I can! All heirloom varieties. Tomatoes, peas, lettuce, cucumbers, pumpkins, beans, potatoes, carrots, squash, cabbage, sunflowers, and zinnias. I don't think I forgot anything??? My DH was just informed last night that he will be building me a greenhouse also by March with cattle panels,..thank goodness he is so easy going. I will be starting all my plants myself this year. I am tired of buying diseased starts, or they arent what they are supposed to be, from others. I plan to can or to freeze everything I can.

 

[BarredBuff]

UTC you may want to consider a float bed...........

 

[ORChick]

I have NO idea LOLOL!

I know tomatoes did well so I'll start them inside with auntie's help when she says it's time. *laughing*

My compost is frozen but when it warms up, I can mix it with my dirt and have some good soil.

The beans and peas hated the north facing, so will try something that likes more shade. Basil is still alive. None of the other herbs made it but I do tend to forget about living things needing water >.>

It's a good thing my cats are so noisy.

What things grow well in cooler, shaded area? For about two months in the summer they get a decent amount of light, and I do have hanging lamps to supplement a bit, but it still wasn't enough.

Abi, you might try lettuce there. Parsley also doesn't mind a bit of shade. As long as it gets some sun every day, and you remember to water!

 

[Mattemma]

I have to move my strawberries,because it turns out that where they are is a perfect spot for a car turn around.I moved half in the fall.

I have been checking the local soil and water page to see if they have their list up for the spring sale.Last year I got raspberries,plum,elderberry,pawpaw,some sort of nut tree maybe chesnut.

I want to plant a ton more ground cherries and tomatillos. I loved snacking on them,but gave a lot to neighbors.

More currant bushes.

Zukes grow fast and there are a lot.I only have luck with cherry tomatos.My big ones crack or get fungal issues.

I grow lots of greens for the rabbit and hens. I want to add more greens for us.

I want to plant more edibles in the front yard.I also want to plant tall things in the front to create a bit of privacy from the busy road.

I want to plant more things to grow up my my chainlink fence like jelly melon,cucumbers,and grapes.Oh and some bird house gourds too.

I love snacking on fresh garden peas.Gotta plant those again.

My best pumpkins were the ones I never planted!

Oh and I will continue to ask dh for a small harbor freight green house.Not the best,but my mom has had one for years and it has served her well.I could get a head start on so much if I had one.For now I use old windows I snagged from garbages and make cold frames.

 

[savingdogs]

I will be home this year to tend a garden and plan a big one. We have little sun so I have no choice but to take up the center of the lawn in the front yard. I have no budget whatsoever, but have a lot of raw material like rabbit poo. I'm on a hunt right now for inexpensive and free seeds. I'm researching my plants now so that I will have a plan as to where everything should go.

We had poor luck in the past because of having very cool summers I hope for a more normal summer this year, and I hope to try some miniature fruits and veggies, such as cherry tomatos, small pumpkins, mini-watermelon, etc., and see if that helps things ripen more quickly.

We are hoping to eat some and freeze some and grow some things to dry for my livestock over next winter. I'd love to grow an unlimited amount of pumpkins and sunflowers, I can't see that I could possibly have too many of either.

 

[abifae]

Abi, you might try lettuce there. Parsley also doesn't mind a bit of shade. As long as it gets some sun every day, and you remember to water!

THANKS!!!

Remember to water. Remember to water. Remember to water.

>.>

Something ATE all my leafies last summer :'(

 

[Henrietta23]

Abi, you might try lettuce there. Parsley also doesn't mind a bit of shade. As long as it gets some sun every day, and you remember to water!

THANKS!!!

Remember to water. Remember to water. Remember to water.

>.>

Something ATE all my leafies last summer :'(

Phooey! That stinks after you tried so hard!!

Pssst: Abi- don't forget to water!!!!

Would peas do well in a bit of shade? You could do lovely sugar snap peas. I grew a miniature variety from seed in a containers last year and it was one of my few successes. If you want I will find the name of the variety for you!

I am about to plant something finally! My butt on the sofa with some gardening catalogs, books and magazines and my garden log book. Time to start jotting some notes and making some sketches. If our snow melts this weekend I may even do some measuring of the area I want to use!!!