Gardening (also testing back-crossposting ability)

[helen99]

Edit: Back crossposting didn't work. I think only posts made after you set up your crossposting parameters can be crossposted. I'm not sure about that though, so don't quote me...

Several mystery plants have popped up out of the compost. One of them might be an almond tree. We found out that even though they're pasteurizing almonds now, it's doesn't kill them. I was very happy to hear this. Anyway, something that looked a lot like an almond did indeed sprout and is quickly growing into something that looks like a tiny tree. I'm not sure when we'll put it outdoors, or where we'll place it, but that was a welcome surprise.

There's another mystery plant sprouting in one of the large grey pots that were outside on the porch when we bought the house. Originally, these pots contained ornamental cabbages and assorted flowers, but all of those were annuals that died last winter. I do remember planting some seeds in one of the pots. I also remember noticing that the pot was available and thinking I should use it, and choosing something from some seeds I'd saved. I remember taking care that whatever I chose was OK to plant when there was still a possibility of frost. However, I didn't put a marker in the pot, so now I have no idea what it is. The cotyledon that's poking up out of the dirt looks like it could have come from a pumpkin seed. I guess I'll know once it's bigger whether it's a vine or a tree... (Note to self - mark all planted seeds).

Today I spent much of the day digging up rocks out of the garden and transferring them to the driveway. I have most of the major pot-holes patched, but there's one area that still needs a couple of loads of rocks. There are plenty still left in the garden, though in some areas it's actually getting harder to find rocks (amazing). Rialian repaired his top bar hive which needed a little bit of tightening up and a paint job from being out in the elements all year last year. He got the last touches done today and it's ready to go. Next week we get bees and Austeja will fly again!

Today rialian also planted many things. Here's the list:

In the herb areas (we still have to get chicken wire fencing up for the herb areas):
Lemon balm (from our yard in Rockville)
Oregano (plants from shop)
Terragon (plants from shop)
Marjoram (from Rialian's brother)
Raspberry plants (from Rialian's brother)

In a ceramic pot: Rosemary (plants from shop)

In the fenced in garden: Spinach, Snap beans

In Self Watering Containers: Eggplant

Last week he set up self-waterers with two bitter melons, Asian okra, and Thai Basil which he got from the Asian market.

Last week he also sheet mulched a small area of the garden and put in potatoes.

Meanwhile, my tomatoes have sprouted in their peat pots and will be put into the garden area after the last frost. Right now they're indoors with a grow light on them. I plan to sheet mulch a small area of the garden where they'll be. That will prevent having to weed the garden the whole season.

Comments

[guardianjain]

Don't forget to plant marigolds interspersed with the plants you want to make sure don't get eaten. Marigolds aren't toxic (but don't eat them...), but they do have a lovely aroma that tends to deter rabbits, groundhogs, etc. from munching your crops before you do. ;)

[helen99]

Thanks - will do. Unfortunately we don't have any right now. I'll get some started in peat pots this week.

[rialian]

===Any species, or is there a specific one? (I believe it is Mexican marigolds that are good against nematodes?)

[guardianjain]

From all I can tell, marigolds are marigolds, but look specifically for varieties that say "has a pungent smell" or the like. The nematode resistance I believe shows up with any marigold, but the pungent ones will deter most mammals.

[guardianjain]

Oh, on companion planting, if you haven't already encountered them:
Carrots Love Tomatoes
Roses Love Garlic

[helen99]

We've got Carrots Love Tomatoes, but don't remember seeing Roses Love Garlic around. Which doesn't mean we don't have it -- it could be in WV or hiding on a shelf somewhere. I'm just beginning to learn what goes with what in a garden, how much sun and water each thing needs, etc.

[wetdryvac]

Good heavens, you're in a zone where almonds will grow? ENVY.

*considers*

*realizes no current vac-idea exists for where almonds grow anyhow*

Maybe I'm in a such a zone as well.

*wanders off to look it up*

[wetdryvac]

Ooo, I am in such a zone! Also, in the proper zone (bloody everywhere is stateside) for black walnuts, upon which I have something of a fixation. Last time I checked I wasn't - but as it would turn out that was northern Maine in a zone 3.

[helen99]

I have many black walnuts in the Rockville yard. One of them is producing nuts now, which is pretty cool. It's kind of hard to grow anything else with black walnuts in the yard though, unless they have plenty of room. Their various chemicals (juglones, favonoids, tannins, etc.), have a tendency to poison other plants, creating kind of a firewall of walnuttery. Their effect can reach up to a radius of 80 feet per tree, so plenty of room is our friend...

[wetdryvac]

Interesting. That'll change how I lay things out somewhat, I suspect.

[dancinglights]

Almond trees? Wow. Oh dear... zone 5-8 and the internet informs me varieties are self-fertile. Why don't we have these everywhere? I am so out of full-sun tree space at the house I am honestly trying to decide if I have enough room for a potted one in my office for a year or three....

[guardianjain]

If you're hankering for more trees, you might try looking up dwarf citrus trees which have been doing quite well in medium to large pots indoors, even over winter. Bonus that both dwarf lemons and limes do fairly well once established.

[dancinglights]

Indeed. We have a (what I hope is a dwarf) lime tree in a very large pot that lives in our back yard for the summer and on top of the fridge out of kitten-range for the winter. Next winter it will live in my office. That's part of the lack of tree space I mentioned :)

[guardianjain]

*laugh* Oh dear.

In which case, perhaps you should look into shade-tolerant fruit/nut bushes?

[dancinglights]

I am in the process of filling in the shade line of our property with blueberries, and have hidden native-stolen rasberries and blackberries in the woods behind the house. Anything other than blueberries or stickerbushes fit the bill before I finish?

Pod and I have a 25-foot-wide swath of suburban townhouse lawn, most of which is shaded by a large useless ornamental tree or the house. Most of the time I enjoy the puzzle of succession planting and maximizing our use of space, but sometimes I just want a field to populate with whatever trees I want. (I had one, I suppose, but my grandparents recently sold it back to the bank for when they die, so it's not worth adding strange trees that take more than a year or two to fruit.)

[guardianjain]

I've no idea if huckleberries or gooseberries grow out this way... but currants might. All of those are cheerfully shade tolerant as long as they get through-the-leaves-sun. ;)

[rialian]

===Gooseberries and currants will do fine by you, zone-wise.

[dancinglights]

Noted! (now to find some)

[helen99]

Well, at least for a year. I think by the end of a year or two in good light with some attention, it should be about 2 or 3 feet tall, which would fit in an office well. After that it (and possibly you as well) will probably need more room.

[dancinglights]

Well, I'm fairly certain the lime tree will outgrow the kittenproof space in the house this summer, and will need to overwinter in the same spot in my office an almond tree or two would take up (I've got about 2-foot-wide of space in front of the radiator-to-ceiling windows). I'm still tempted to go plant them on someone else's park/BGE tower land or something, though....