Growing Your Own: What did you grow / raise / harvest?

[Skycaptain]

Hopefully we've cleared all the concrete and rocks, so we can level the ground, and build the rockeries, one side is shady, so will be for ferns, the other catches the sun and will be for Alpines. Have to get the planter troughs ready soon. 

[Muledeer]

2 hours ago, Skycaptain said:

Hopefully we've cleared all the concrete and rocks, so we can level the ground, and build the rockeries, one side is shady, so will be for ferns, the other catches the sun and will be for Alpines. Have to get the planter troughs ready soon. 

In one sentence, I encountered three words or terms that need translation from British to American English:

 

Rockeries:  I guess this is a rock garden, but you also will be planting plants in them.  Not sure we have a word for that.

Alpines:  I assume this is vegetation that grows only in the mountains?

Planter troughs:  a long container for planting potted plants?

 

How did I do? 

[daveb]

3 hours ago, Muledeer said:

How did I do? 

I think you did fine, but I don't think those are Britishisms. Alpine is used pretty widely among botanists, geographers, and others who deal with plants and plant communities. And I've encountered the other terms in the US/American media. I love rockeries! There were some really cool ones in a great botanic garden in Montreal. I've thought of doing one in part of my yard (but knowing me, it will forever remain thoughts only).  

[Myssterry]

I ended up doing a bit more clearing this afternoon down in the "secret garden" - which isn't very secret now.  Two pics.

 

 

Little Dog by the pond.  The tadpoles are swimming freely now.

 

 

Little Dog by the area where I considered adding an arbour.( You see how Little Dog is showing off his garden proudly. :P)  Without all the trees in the next garden, I am very overlooked from the houses, as the houses are up on a slope above the gardens.  I have a little screening there from my climbing rose, and have ordered a wooden planter with a trellis to go by the bench.  It may be enough, and much cheaper than an arbour. The fence is shabby and needs painting.  I have to keep re-interring the fish that died, as the foxes keep digging it up but not eating it.  Fortunately Little Dog gives it a wide berth, as I am sure it is past its use by date.  My old dog would have eaten it enthusiastically and then been ill.

 

Alpines here are small plants needing good drainage and sunlight that usually come originally from mountainous areas, a rockery is an assemblage or rocks and soil to grow alpines and planter troughs would be pockets of soil in the rockery in this instance, if I am reading Sky correctly.

[Tunhope]

I'm having trouble with pictures today. I couldnt see yours @Mysterry.

Dandelions and nettles here too!

[daveb]

Lack of rain here lately  so I watered the pots where I planted flower seeds. I noticed the pot where I planted the "wildflower mix" has tiny sprouts starting to show.  

[Myssterry]

That's great, @daveb  Hope they do well.  I have pricked out most of the seedlings now and put them in the greenhouse.  The schizanthus are growing well, already pricked out three to a pot and I will move them on to larger pots soon.  Tulip time is coming now, quite a few are coming out.  I forgot to label the new ones I put in last autumn, so hope I have kept the packaging in the shed.  One lot are a white double which are in a bed of forget-me-nots and another lot are a sort of flame orange with purple which should be stunning when they fully open.

[daveb]

I don't plan to do any pricking. The pots are big, and anything that grows grows and anything that doesn't doesn't.  I will just provide water as needed and let nature take its course.

[Myssterry]

15 hours ago, daveb said:

I don't plan to do any pricking. The pots are big, and anything that grows grows and anything that doesn't doesn't.  I will just provide water as needed and let nature take its course.

Pricking out.   Hardy seeds sown in situ are oten thinned out, not pricked out.  I am planning on fence painting today, not strictly on topic in this thread, but all part of the garden maintenance.

[Myssterry]

The apple trees are blossoming.

 

[Tanwen]

My daughter in law gave me some strawberry plants when I moved in - three varieties they've had on their allotment for years. Early (already budding), mid season and lates. Had some last year when I was living there and they are DELICIOUS - if I can stop the dogs from eating them! 😁

[daveb]

40 minutes ago, Mysterry said:

The apple trees are blossoming.

My crabapple trees have already shed most of their blossoms.

[Tanwen]

I'm a bit concerned about the early strawberries as we're due frost again - but as Iain said, they're used to it  

[Myssterry]

Garden in the rain.  After all the cold dry frosty weather, we now have rain and hail or sleet every day.  Ahhh, the UK spring.

 

There is a woodpecker on the bird feeder, but you wouldn't know from this pic from the kitchen window.  The garden next door is empty of trees and shrubs now so some time the digger will trundle up via the allotments and "level" everything.  I am hoping it won't build them too much higher and make me overlooked, but we will see.

 

 

Number of times the table and chairs have been used this year - once when we actually had a warm couple of days.  The forget-me-nots and tulips will be over soon and I will clear them and put in some annuals.  It never looks as good as with the forget-me-nots though.  They seed themselves every year - totally free and very pretty.

[daveb]

33 minutes ago, Mysterry said:

Garden

It looks great!

[pickles.]

I have lots of things planted--foodstuffs and flowers--and have already gotten a few ripe, red strawberries.  Other edibles coming along: tomatoes, basil, cucumbers (several varieties), potatoes, and sugar snap peas.  The item I'm almost the most excited about is the alyssum I planted yesterday.  It's been several houses ago since I've had alyssum (so...decades), and it is one of my favorite smells.  I planted it in a pot right by my doorway so I can smell it on my way in and out.

[pickles.]

Had fun in the garden today, weeding and staking plants.  My cat is never happier than when I'm in the garden and she is in close proximity.

 

 

[Skycaptain]

8 hours ago, pickles mcgee said:

 My cat is never happier than when I'm in the garden and she is in close proximity.

 

 

Ours is the same

[Tanwen]

On 5/30/2021 at 5:47 AM, pickles mcgee said:

Had fun in the garden today, weeding and staking plants.  My cat is never happier than when I'm in the garden and she is in close proximity.

 

 

Dinozzo is shut in the house when I'm using the garden hose - my planters are scattered!  

 

[Myssterry]

Have finally cleared the forget-me-nots and will be putting some plants out this evening to replace them.  The forget-me-nots will come back again as seedlings in the autumn.

[daveb]

Don't forget.  

[Tanwen]

Trying an experiment this year. Read that aphids don't like marigolds (but love roses) so, planted marigolds with my two rose bushes. Hope it works 🤞

[daveb]

Here's my little blue pot full of "wildflower mix", with some flowers starting to show up.

[Myssterry]

Forget-me-nots cleared and border replanted.  I cleared the pond of some of the water soldiers so the fish have more free space to swim.

 

[Damnitsam1989]

Hi guys, long time no post lol.

 

So for I've got 6 varieties of tomato, jalapenos, yellow and orange bell peppers, pumpkin, garlic, and a blueberry bush (it's kinda sad, I think it needs a bigger pot) for my edible garden. Then for flowers I've got nasturtium going crazy, dahlias, and rose bushes that are recovering from the previous tenants abuse. The grape hyacinth are done blooming now as is the wisteria bush. The succulents that are in the yard are going crazy and my aloe vera plant has made sooooo many babies! The various herbs are doing quite well too!

[Tanwen]

On 6/3/2021 at 10:29 AM, Tanwen said:

Trying an experiment this year. Read that aphids don't like marigolds (but love roses) so, planted marigolds with my two rose bushes. Hope it works 🤞

I can state categorically, this h as been an epic FAIL! My poor Peace rose 😢 

[daveb]

57 minutes ago, Tanwen said:

I can state categorically, this h as been an epic FAIL! My poor Peace rose 😢 

That's too bad.  

 

I was reminded, my dad used to make some sort of spray with garlic and water (and maybe other stuff?) to deal with aphids on hibiscus bushes in our front yard when I was a kid. I don't know if it worked. (but we were never bothered by vampires  )

[Tanwen]

1 hour ago, daveb said:

That's too bad.  

 

I was reminded, my dad used to make some sort of spray with garlic and water (and maybe other stuff?) to deal with aphids on hibiscus bushes in our front yard when I was a kid. I don't know if it worked. (but we were never bothered by vampires  )

Have to keep that in mind 🤣

[daveb]

Maybe it was garlic and holy water...  

[BZA]