I have maxed out on plants - simply because there is no more room to put any more plants (esp. if the winter sown stuff germinates . . . so I bought a book instead.
Making More Plants: The Science, Art, and Joy of Propagation (Hardcover)
by Ken Druse
Which of course, makes no sense, since there really is no place to put any new plants I might make . . . . Spring better get here soon . . .
Can't buy plants - bought a book :-)
Time for Gardeners Anonymous!
So true . . . or is that what DG is for?
No, I think DG is for people telling it makes sense to spend even more on plants! Were all sort of like Norm at the bar.
Yeah - but if we joined GA (Gardners Anonymous) we might have new people to organize a plant exchange with!
True! I have viewed the trading list several times and see LOTS I would like - but alas, I have nothing to trade with . . . but I'm learning. I will save seeds from everything this year.
Me, too. my rationale is, if I grow it from seed it didn't cost anything (never mind what I spent on the seeds, or the soil, or the postage for the trade...), and if it was free I'm sure there will be room for it somewhere. It's almost the same principle as there being no calories in cookie crumbs. I think I'm liking the cottage garden look because you can crowd in a lot of plants LOL also, taking up a new style of gardening this year has justified buying new books ;0).
I need at 3 or 4 12-step programs. can I sign up for about 72 steps? and then I'll need to buy a book about that.
I suggest starting Gardeners Rationalizations, where we come up with creative reasons to justify our addiction / obsession / passion, etc. I ask my wife what other hobby keeps me within feet of our house, doesn't involve drinking or gambling, etc. (usually), and whose result is a beautiful creation that attracts wildlife, increases our home's value and turns heads of neighbors and motorists.
victor, that's really good. you must have put a lot of thought into that :0) I should embroider that into a sampler and hang it over the back door.
Thanks, but I'm sorry to say my wife has not bought it one bit!
She is a smart woman Victor!
I'm sure with most of our spouses, unless they have caught or share our gardener's obsessions, it's much more a matter of patient tolerance than anything else.
Seandor, if you have no place for new plants, there's always pots. If you have no pots, you can wander about DG, learning to make your own out of hypertufa, or how to pick up wonderful items at flea markets that were never intended to hold plants and make planters of them, or recycle your own trash to make pots, or learn how to grow them on a plant wall (yep, I found a thread on that). don't like containers? lasagna garden your way out of a lawn and into new beds. gee, I love this place :0)
Okay, I'll bite (bad pun): what is a lasagna garden?
I'll settle for patience OR tolerance. Still waiting for either!
Yeah but Victor, she also has to put up with your sense of humour.
Seandor, Lasagna Gardening is a technique were you put layers of newspaper, compost, etc on the surface of were you want to start a garden (like on your lawn) instead of digging down.
We're currently trying to save $(we're starting a business) so I haven't bought any plants/bulbs I may go buy a bunch of seeds since they're so inexpensive.I do have to contact Michigan Bulb and Spring Hill for some replacements(if they fail to come up this spring) so at least I'll get to plant something Reading books or mags just gives me that itch to go start digging in the dirt. So I don't know what to do.
victor, gives you something to look forward to LOL
jen, you should definitely plant some seeds. it's cheap, satisfying and gives you something to do while waiting for spring
Thanks, Gram & Dave. One can always hope.
Jen, even a single, large container really done up nicely can help satisfy the gardening yearnings. There are many nice container plants that can be started from seed.
I am new to Dave's but it is posts like this that confirm that I am in the right place!!!:) My wife calls me 'farlmer pete' all the time to poke fun at me. I grow 'soil-sprouts' all winter just to satify my gardening urge, so there are trays of green on every windowsill. It helps with cabin fever and it isn't bad that I harvest piles of greens for our salads too. I am looking at 3 feet of snow on my garden right now. the Organic gardening website has a 'Northeast Gradeners' almanac that says you can plant peas on St Patrics Day...... I don't think so. So I plant another tray of pea shoots.
Way to go, Farmer! Welcome to Dave's and to the forum. We're all climbing the walls so we feel your pain.
Hi, TDGarden. Welcome. I've even got the UPS guy asking me what I've got planted on the front porch (it's a bunch of wintersowing...I couldn't get out the back door to put the containers with the rest...too much snow). My DH has accused me of being involved in some kind of international seed smuggling ring LOL
sounds to me like you've found a home here :0)
Hi TD! Welcome aboard! It is nice to have people to talk gardening with that don't get bored.
Hi T.D. it's great to meet people with the same obsession. I am just a rookie and the people at DG have been so very helpful :-)
This is tonight's salad and then some.
Speaking of good books I got a book an Italian Salad called 'Insalate' from Pinetree on Sale. Great recipes.
Looks yummy (and healthy) TD!
The really great part of it is that I harvest 7 days after planting. The very short cycle makes it easy to plant small amounts daily and harvest just what I need. No big storage issues, no big lights, just a cupboard and a window sill. No coldframes, no greenhouse (although my house has greens all around it)!
7 days after sowing the seeds??!
Yes, Vic. Plant today and harvest in just 7 days, well radish maybe 6 days. But if you are not ready to use the sprouts, they can grow another 3 days right in the tray. You can see more pictures at thedailygardener site. I like the buckwheat lettuce alot because of it's mild flavor, but the sunflower is most peoples' favorite because of the crunchy texture and nutty flavor. One of my friends just told me today about a cole slaw he made with cabbage and radish greens, he said radish made it fantastic. The Pea shoots are great in a salad, but make a nice stir fry with garlic and mushrooms, too.
This message was edited Mar 7, 2007 9:27 PM
Now you're tempting me. After growing my own greens in the Spring and Fall, I dread going back to the store bought junk. It would be nice to have fresh grown greens all year round.
Welcome TD... this is the best place to be....
well, I think the only thing that is keeping me sane is gardening... well, my bedroom is becoming more of a greenhouse every day... every window is taken and my sister is really being "nice"...and I keep telling her that is cheaper to plant seeds... and they are really growing...
Thanks Kassie, does your sister like salad? Maybe she would enjoy a tray of fresh greens. I am reading the Ed Smith Incredible container book, anybody see it yet? What do you think?
TD, you're making me hungry! Welcome to the forum.
TD,
I haven't seen the Ed Smith book yet but did google it after your suggestion. It sounds interesting and I'd like to grow a few vegetables in large pots again. I have always found I had to water twice a day, way too labor intensive in the summer for me. Do you suggest this book?
The book on containers is an excellent book, the same, very thorough "bible" style he did with his garden book W-O-R-D Gardeners Bible. The real discovery with this technique he explains is the 'self watering' containers. Sort of an oxymoron because you still have to keep water in the bottom of the container, but from what I've read here there are alot of people using the 'earth box' style containers with very good results. I have enjoyed it alot.
I've used self-watering containers for my tomatoes for the last 2 years (from gardeners supply - very similar to earth box). last year I had bell peppers which also did well. this year I'm trying some bush cucumbers, grape tomatoes, miniature bok choi and mini carrots. I grow indeterminate tomatoes and when the vines get large the water resevoirs have to be filled every day. but there's no way you could grow a tomato that size in a container that size without it drying out otherwise. smaller veggies don't suck up the water as fast. 3 good sized pepper plants were good for at least 2 days even when mature.
I love container gardening for veggies. The only thing going in the ground around here these days better be perennial.
TD, what do you grow in the summer in containers?
jan
I saw the earth boxes for sale at the local Whole Foods market( they also have a wonderful potting soil enriched with salmon compost) and was tempted after TD and Grams posts. I did look at the book at B&N too. Do I really want to make more work for myself or is it still the winter blues and I just need to feel the connection to the garden? Gram, do you think the earth box is basically the same as the Gardeners Supply self watering containers? Is there any reason, besides looks I would choose one over the other? I like the idea of sowing the salad greens in a container outside in spring and maybe early peas for a head start. Oh this is bad, I do want one of those self watering containers. Especially now with the last snow storm covering the ground after I just started cutting plants back.
Hi grampapa, I grew a small tomato variety, three plants, hot chile peppers and fingerling potatoes. The fingerlings where a real surprise, I had them until last week!
semper I think it is the winter blues! Self-watering is a misnomer! You still have to water, and sometimes everyday, if that is 'self-watering' then my whole garden is self watering!!!!
I get through the winter by growing soil-sprouts. But I will play with the Earth boxes, it is still cheaper than golf! I have three of the 'other' brand Garden Patch, they were a few dollars cheaper. I noticed that Agway has the EarthBox for 49.00, I wonder if they will have a sale?
I am thinking I will try to bring a cherry tomato in for the fall, does anyone have any experience with this?
TD, I was thinking of trying the same thing with the cherry tomato if I have one that's still doing well in the fall. nothing to lose :0)
Semp, I do think the EarthBox is basically the same. there is a whole group of people here at DG who who swear by them. check out the container gardening forum. some folks have a huge number of them. and some make their own. you should at least try one. come one...get one...what could it hurt... I have 4 of them now from GS, and 2 of their other self-watering planters that are almost the same size. I also have one that is on legs that I am going to try some carrots and bok choi in this year...easier to reach.
grampapa...and everything to gain, right? It will be interesting cnversation in October after the first frost, Oh my perish the oath!!!!::)