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I've some herbs growing in a 75cm window box outside my dorm room. Nothing fancy, just chives, lemon balm, basil, parsley and mint. Today I acquired another window box. This one is a bit smaller, 55cm.  I've so far decided on planting cilantro in it, but I'm open for suggestions on what else I might plant into it, apart from more soil (ran out of it before I could top it up). Maybe dill?
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Jul 25, 2011 19:47
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Nesnej posted:I've some herbs growing in a 75cm window box outside my dorm room. Nothing fancy, just chives, lemon balm, basil, parsley and mint. I think that both of those plants should do pretty well in a window box. I'm insanely jealous. I have nowhere to put a window box, nor do I have a place in my apartment to put planters. I just have my makeshift aerogardens.
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Jul 27, 2011 21:27
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Wow luloo, I'm glad you recovered from the dead-tomato-plant disaster! I would have been mad as hell if my plants had died with green tomatoes still on them. Sounds like you have a better setup now though  And don't feel too bad. I might have more space for growing things but I'm insanely jealous of your own ability to grow plants with an aerogarden, which I suspect I would gently caress up mightily. I'm only good at growing things when I can put them in dirt and let nature water them for me. I kill houseplants (and what I don't kill, the cats do).In nicer urban garden news, I harvested my first head of broccoli last week and the green beans are 5' tall now and still growing, also putting out foot-long bean pods. We used some in soup the other day, om nom nom. My 3 tomato plants are bushing out and have several blossoms and half a dozen small green tomatoes. I am very, very excited about the tomatoes. The rest of the garden can die but I want my tomatoes, damnit. And my garlic is almost ready to harvest! It seems soooo easy to grow that if it comes out ok for me I think I'd recommend it to anyone with limited space. Fresh garlic is amazing. Nesnej, keep an eye on that lemon balm. It will take over and get huuuuuuge if you don't keep it trimmed. Mine started life as a scrawny root-balled chunk from my mother's huge plant, and it's already tripled in size since it was planted last July. I've cut it back down to size twice and it grows out fuller and healthier each time! That windowbox herb garden looks delightful. I wish I'd had that idea when I was in the dorms! Faerunner fucked around with this message at 02:37 on Aug 4, 2011 |
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Aug 4, 2011 02:33
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Hmm. I'm thinking about starting an herb garden outside on my fire escape- what should I look for before I go on ahead? Amount of sun the area gets? Will everything die in winter?
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Aug 4, 2011 12:56
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I'm to get back into growing a few vegetables after many, many failed attempts over the years. Just a few small things in containers, nothing fancy yet. Why is it seeds are sown in a tray or small pots, and then potted up into larger pots until finally they're planted out in the garden or their final pot? I've never understood that - why not just put them in the place they're going to end up to start with?
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Aug 6, 2011 15:43
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Warrahooyaargh posted:Why is it seeds are sown in a tray or small pots, and then potted up into larger pots until finally they're planted out in the garden or their final pot? I've never understood that - why not just put them in the place they're going to end up to start with? There are a couple of reasons why you should start some plants in starter trays. 1) Space conservation. Because of seed failure rates, you don't want to start the seeds in their pots. You can start 30 seeds in the space that it would take for 2 reasonably sized pots. If you start directly in the pot, and the seeds don't germinate, you have to start all over again. It's like having a dozen kids, so you have some replacements in case a couple die. 2) Some plants need more babying early in their lives than other plants. Tomato and pepper plants are babies. They need light, warmth, and careful watering early in their life, so that they can get a solid start before being exposed to the cold, heartless wilderness. Such plants have a lower failure rate if they are started in trays. 3) To help get a start on the growing season (probably one of the biggest reasons why people start indoors). Sensitive plants with long growing seasons need the extra time to maximize output before it starts to frost. By starting them indoors in April, you can plant juvenile plants in May and cut miss the early season frosts. Not all plants need to be started in trays prior to finally planting. Potatoes can be dumped straight in the ground. I have found that beans, other legumes, herbs, the whole squash family, lettuce, root vegetables, and corn are strongest if they are planted in their final destination. They also aren't very fond of being moved around. They grow quickly, so they can be planted in May and still provide a bounty before they get killed off by frost. QuentinCompson posted:Hmm. I'm thinking about starting an herb garden outside on my fire escape- what should I look for before I go on ahead? Amount of sun the area gets? Sun is important. Most seed packets will let you know sun requirements. As for the dying question, it really depends on where you live. If you live in the north (or south if you're from the southern hemisphere), probably. If you live in a big city, there may be more forgiveness because of the heat bubble. You may have a longer season than those who live in more rural areas. luloo123 fucked around with this message at 16:51 on Aug 6, 2011 |
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Aug 6, 2011 16:45
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Thanks - that makes sense. I've ordered spring cabbage, lettuce, Chinese lettuce and spinach seeds and can't wait to get started. 
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Aug 6, 2011 17:12
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Warrahooyaargh posted:Thanks - that makes sense. I've ordered spring cabbage, lettuce, Chinese lettuce and spinach seeds and can't wait to get started. YAY! Please keep us posted with pictures. You can probably get away with starting everything directly in their final destination. Are you growing them in a bed or in pots? I think all of them are cool weather plants, so they might not do well in a garden until it cools down a bit. Make sure to check the growing instructions on the packet. All of this advice is pretty moot if you are growing them inside.
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Aug 6, 2011 17:24
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I've got a convservatory but it's probably much too hot in there at the moment, so I'll probably start them on a windowsill. They'll be in containers eventually as my garden is extremely chalky (I'm in north Kent, UK) and the whole place is a trainwreck at the moment anyway. I've found very little plants grow successfully in my garden, except bindweed. I do have a brick-enclosed thing that can be used as a raised bed, but I'm not good at maintaining it. Time to resolve to make a better effort with that!
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Aug 7, 2011 07:28
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Warrahooyaargh posted:I've got a convservatory but it's probably much too hot in there at the moment, so I'll probably start them on a windowsill. They'll be in containers eventually as my garden is extremely chalky (I'm in north Kent, UK) and the whole place is a trainwreck at the moment anyway. I've found very little plants grow successfully in my garden, except bindweed. I do have a brick-enclosed thing that can be used as a raised bed, but I'm not good at maintaining it. Time to resolve to make a better effort with that! From living in England, I know that there are tons of gardening programmes and radio shows, but this is a reference from my favorite gardening radio show from the US. He gives some great advice about starting raised beds. http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=799
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Aug 7, 2011 22:43
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QuentinCompson posted:Hmm. I'm thinking about starting an herb garden outside on my fire escape- what should I look for before I go on ahead? Amount of sun the area gets? Yay, fresh gardeners!  Welcome to your new addiction.QuentinCompson, definitely look for sun! A lot of herbs like or need full sun to do well. In shade they will be scraggly and thin. Also check out the wind - fire escapes are not known for their sheltered, calm locations. High winds may necessitate caging or staking larger plants for support and will also dry out your containers a lot faster. Consider whether there will be heat bounce-back from the surrounding buildings too. Go for perennials if you want a really nice, easy garden. The only annual I'd regularly plant is basil, and that's not cold-hardy at all. Plant it after the last frost date for your area and expect it to die each winter. Luckily it starts from seed relatively well and is also available as a started seedling from any major garden/home store. Common stuff you can grow that is perennial, cold-hardy, and will survive some neglect:
Most herbs grow best if harvested regularly. They thrive when being used. Cold hardy herbs are pretty care-free. My oregano plants (regular and golden oregano) survived a zone 5 (down to -10* plus windchill) winter with a little leaf mulch around the base. They were in the ground, however, and that tends to help. If you don't get a lot of snow cover, you might want to mulch containers heavily and group them together in a sheltered corner or wrap them in something to protect the root system from icy winds, since ice and extreme cold getting to the roots can kill off even cold-hardy plants. Good luck! Edit: Or you can bring pots inside over the winter and have a kitchen full of fresh herbs, if you have enough light and space indoors (but I'm guessing if you're growing on a fire escape the answer is no, you do not have space). Faerunner fucked around with this message at 16:15 on Aug 9, 2011 |
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Aug 9, 2011 16:09
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Does anyone know why my thyme and chives didn't grow? My basil and coriander came up fine, but I got about two tiny growths of thyme and maybe four blades of chives. The surface of the soil has gone all mouldy.
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Aug 13, 2011 12:45
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pisshead posted:Does anyone know why my thyme and chives didn't grow? My basil and coriander came up fine, but I got about two tiny growths of thyme and maybe four blades of chives. The surface of the soil has gone all mouldy. No idea, maybe too much water? Chives are pretty much indestructible so I'm stumped. Buy another batch and replace with new soil.
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Aug 13, 2011 13:14
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pisshead posted:Does anyone know why my thyme and chives didn't grow? My basil and coriander came up fine, but I got about two tiny growths of thyme and maybe four blades of chives. The surface of the soil has gone all mouldy. I'm going with Wildlele. The seeds probably rotted from too much water, especially if you are seeing mold on the surface of the soil. Sorry.
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Aug 13, 2011 13:34
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Thanks for starting this thread. I've planted a few items in my place, and I need opinions on what to plant next. I live in an apartment in Key West. That means hot humid weather and container gardening. I have basil and rosemary in a window ledge that are producing well. I also have a pair of 3-week-old tomato plants in a pot that are growing up a stake. I have two other places for planting: I have another window ledge, about 10 inches deep by two feet wide. It's partially shaded thanks to my neighbor's trees. It's climate controlled, around 80 degrees all day. I also have a patio outside. It's full sun in the afternoon and shaded in the morning. It's very hot, over 90 degrees at noon and over 70 at night. It's sheltered by a deck upstairs, so big rain storms won't drench the area. So what should I plant in these two spots, the shaded cool window ledge and the sunny hot patio? They have to fit into small containers (1 foot by 2 feet tops). I'm thinking of mint (transplant) inside and thyme (from seed) outside. I'm a sucker for freshly grown bell peppers or some scotch bonnets as well. Your opinion?
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Aug 13, 2011 17:13
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Well, I've planted spinach, Chinese cabbage, regular cabbage and some lettuce, also basil, parsley and coriander. I've had problems with mould on the soil in the past so the advice above is useful. We'll see what happens!
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Aug 14, 2011 07:44
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Bagheera posted:Thanks for starting this thread. I've planted a few items in my place, and I need opinions on what to plant next. Plant some awesome tropical fruits, you're already in a great climate.
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Aug 14, 2011 21:58
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Kilersquirrel posted:Plant some awesome tropical fruits, you're already in a great climate. No can do. I'm in an apartment, not a house. Tropical fruit trees will take a decade or more, and you can't plant a mango tree in a container  I'm seriously thinking about vanilla orchids. They don't require much space and they love warm humid weather (they originated in southern Mexico after all). But they get several meters long and take up to 5 years to produce fruit. And I can't find a US supplier.
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Aug 14, 2011 22:08
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Yeah I was thinking more like passionfruits or lulo or other shrubby/vine-type things. Oh, and you can plant a mango tree in a container, it just takes the right pruning to keep it low and contained. I have one on my patio right now and it's growing like a weed. e#3: If you want to do something that's virtually kill-proof and effort-free, plant Gopher Apple (Licania michauxii), it's a native Florida groundcover and makes tasty little white fruits(They taste kind of like lychee when fully ripe). All it really needs is slightly dirty sand and full sun to grow. Kilersquirrel fucked around with this message at 23:18 on Aug 14, 2011 |
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Aug 14, 2011 23:06
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Hmm, interesting. I must learn more about growing fruit trees in containers. Do you suppose a dwarf mango (or key lime) would be less than 6 feet tall and weight less than a hundred pounds. I'll look into gopher apples. Everything I've Googled talks about it as a wild plant, not as part of a garden.
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Aug 15, 2011 01:35
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It's generally a wild plant but it does get used as a ground cover in coastal areas. It doesn't get more than about 6" tall. The only thing is that you typically have to start from seed as it does not typically like being transplanted, from what I've read. And a dwarf fruit tree should fit that bill easy. Just go get one of those moving dollys like this to roll it around the place rather than picking it up all the time.
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Aug 16, 2011 22:28
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Speaking of mint, the plant I put in the ground on our hillside has sent out 2 nice healthy runners. I expect it to come back strong and spread a good deal next year. The mint lawn is underway! Also I got a tomato the size of my hand off my biggest plant last week. I am pumped. How is everyone else's growing/harvest going? Any tips for things I could plant this fall? We don't have a very long/sunny fall growing season (it's mostly cloudy and wet once August is over) but it won't freeze until mid to late October so I figure I could probably get a good crop of radishes and salad greens, right?
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Aug 30, 2011 01:49
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Faerunner posted:Speaking of mint, the plant I put in the ground on our hillside has sent out 2 nice healthy runners. I expect it to come back strong and spread a good deal next year. The mint lawn is underway! In my makeshift aerogardens, I got the most delicious snow pea. One snow pea. I'm in London for the next week. I'm hoping that everything survives, and that there is more progress, while I'm gone. Congrats not the tomato!
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Aug 30, 2011 10:15
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luloo123 posted:In my makeshift aerogardens, I got the most delicious snow pea. One snow pea. I'm in London for the next week. I'm hoping that everything survives, and that there is more progress, while I'm gone. I had a similar experience with pole beans. I'm in the Phoenix, AZ area, which is somewhere between Zone 9 and the surface of the sun. I planted 5-6 and ended up with an average of 1 bean per plant before they gave up the ghost in the summer heat. The ones we got were amazing, though. I need to experiment with planting those at different times of the year. We have a small backyard with a LOT of shade and and patchy spots that get good sunlight, so I've been planting in pots over the last few years and seeing what works. Herbs in general are pretty hardy so I haven't had much trouble with those. Everything else (beans, tomatoes, peppers) haven't been as great, but I think that is as much my fault as the climate. I just planted a whole mess of parsley, basil, and mint from seed. The basil started to sprout 2 days after planting. Can't believe how fast it came up. This is my first time trying mint. I hear it is tough to get started from seed. We'll see how it goes.
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Sep 6, 2011 17:47
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Slapdash posted:I had a similar experience with pole beans. I'm in the Phoenix, AZ area, which is somewhere between Zone 9 and the surface of the sun. I planted 5-6 and ended up with an average of 1 bean per plant before they gave up the ghost in the summer heat. The ones we got were amazing, though. I need to experiment with planting those at different times of the year. Whenever people want to grow food plants but are afraid of killing them, I always recommend Basil. It's like some high-level Diablo artifact: Quick-Growing Basil the Undying.
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Sep 6, 2011 19:57
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mediaphage posted:Whenever people want to grow food plants but are afraid of killing them, I always recommend Basil. It's like some high-level Diablo artifact: Quick-Growing Basil the Undying. Just make sure to water it daily especially if you're in a hot climate!
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Sep 6, 2011 22:39
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I've kept my basil plant in an 80 degree air-conditioned room on a windowsill, and it's now three feet tall (after harvesting twice). I took it out this weekend (Key West) in 90 degree weather to give it more direct sunlight. It wilted and is just now recovering.
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Sep 6, 2011 23:48
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Yikes, first frost in Kent overnight. Can I plant stuff out in the garden? I've supposedly got winter varieties. Will I need to use fleece or something?
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Oct 16, 2011 09:29
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Warrahooyaargh posted:Yikes, first frost in Kent overnight. Can I plant stuff out in the garden? I've supposedly got winter varieties. Will I need to use fleece or something? This is a good time to plant garlic! It won't be ready until next year, but this is the time to plant it.
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Oct 16, 2011 12:44
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So garden time is pretty much over for the year but I wanted to know if anyone has plans for next year? I just tore out my 3 tomato plants, beans (I didn't get many because the drat stinkbugs ate the blossoms!) and broccoli. I also finally got the garlic planted this weekend and all the beds ready for winter. Nothing left to do now but trim the herbs one last time before heavy snow, and wait for spring... I think this winter I'm going to try growing some greens in the windowsill upstairs. Does anyone have advice for keeping them healthy (and growing) all winter?
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Nov 22, 2011 23:32
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Harvested all of my root veg last weekend to be used in Thanksgiving meals. My plans next year depend a lot on whether I can get a proper fence built. If I do then I'll add more beds, maybe raised if I can afford them after building the fence. I'll be practicing my indoor herb growing over the winter. There's a gardening thread, mostly focused on veggies, over in DIY if anyone wants to come visit.
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Nov 23, 2011 01:24
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I may in fact drop by as this thread's deader than my tomatoes. 
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Nov 24, 2011 01:18
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Here in Key West, garden season is in full swing. I have tomato question. Two days ago, I found a pair of tomato worms chowing down on my lone tomato plant. They had taken a bite out of all 5 little green tomatoes. I ripped them off, and now I have to wait a few more months until new tomatoes grow in. The plant looks healthy, though. Last night, I found little, sticky, fluffy white dots bundled together under one of the leaves. On close inspection they don't look like aphids. Could they be eggs for more ever more tomato worms? And what's a decent pesticide to use on tomatoes?
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Dec 20, 2011 13:30
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Bagheera posted:Here in Key West, garden season is in full swing. I have tomato question. So sorry I didn't notice this sooner. They were probably tomato horn worms (which are a type of caterpillar). They sticky, fluffy white dots were probably eggs, so you probably want to remove them. BT is a great way to kill of destructive caterpillars. It is organic and will only harm caterpillars and not the birds that feed on them. It is also known as BTU. I found it on Amazon produced by the company "Safer". I hope this isn't too late. I am jealous of your lengthy season.
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Jan 1, 2012 02:33
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luloo123 posted:BT is a great way to kill of destructive caterpillars. It is organic and will only harm caterpillars and not the birds that feed on them. It is also known as BTU. I found it on Amazon produced by the company "Safer". coyo7e fucked around with this message at 01:32 on Jan 2, 2012 |
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Jan 2, 2012 01:29
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Thirding BT as something that will completely gently caress up tomato loopers. Is there anything I can do to protect my plants from the cold aside from moving them inside? Everything I'm growing is getting absolutely mauled by the winter.
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Jan 2, 2012 09:33
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Bastard Tetris posted:Thirding BT as something that will completely gently caress up tomato loopers. How cold? If you are in a fairly mild area, I have heard good things about row covers: http://www.gardeners.com/Row-Covers/5111,default,pg.html It will help the plants keep in their natural heat overnight, and it will keep frost from laying on them. We used to throw sheets on our tomatoes at night to keep off the frost and to extend the growing season in rural PA. In rural PA it doesn't work forever, but it could help in more mild climates. In more harsh areas, row covers can be filled with leaves. This can provide an extra layer of insulation. The type of plant that you are protecting also matters. Potted plants in harsh climates can be protected by burying the pot in soil. This will help to protect the roots. To protect the upper part of the plant (if necessary), you can rig stakes or chicken wire around the edge perimeter of the pot. Put fabric around that and fill the inside with leaves. This gives the plant breathing room and keeps it from smothering which is what can happen if you just wrap it with plastic.
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Jan 2, 2012 15:05
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2 weeks ago, I moved into my first ever apartment. I've been in the military since College, and living on base, so a edible urban garden was the first order of business. Second, after furnishing the whole house at Ikea. I used to live on a small property growing up, not big by any standard, but my parents were big gardeners, and we grew up on home grown veggies and herbs. I'm attempting to recreate that on the fifth floor of an inner city Sydney, Australia apartment block. I've got a 2.4m x 3.6m space to work with, and even with the barbie and outdoor setting, I can fit alot (I hope). Here it is thus far:  Established(hopefully!): 3 types of Cherry Tomato A mix of heirloom Lettuci Corriander Marjoram 3 types of Basil (Lemon, Cinnamon, some other one) Garlic Chives Regular Chives Sage Sorrell Chervil Curry Carrots (Heirloom and Purple Dragon) Rosemary Planted today: Chilli (Cayenne) A variety of different heirloom beets Thai Pink Egg Cherry Tomatoes (Amazingly yum, if you've never tried these, track them down, they're amazing) Two pots of dwarf heirloom peas (There is nothing in the world better than fresh peas straight from the tree) Kale Still awaiting seeds: Giant sunflower (My balcony is 9 foot tall, why not?) Peppermint Kohl Rabi Amaranthus Aragula Garlic Perpetual Spinach Borage Bergamont Comfrey Everything is either heirloom or at minimum organic. I'm not big on the whole organic thing, but after trying an heirloom cherry tomato at a farmers market, I've been turned. It's going pretty well so far. I'm loving it, and things are growing well. I've had to move most pots off the edge of the balcony as the winds have been pretty strong the past few days. Gave everything its first feed of Sulphate of Potash, and Seaweed Concentrate. And they copped some heavy rain the other night, so I'm hoping they're still ok. Managed to pick up those buckets for $1 each at a discount store. They're actually kids beach pails for sandcastles, but a heap of drilling and some repatriated gravel from the building site down the road, and they're perfect for single plants like tomato and peas. I bought a dozen, I may go back for more. Now I'm just really hoping things continue to grow nicely, and that the chilli seeds germanate. They need a soil temp of over 18c apparently, luckily it's been pretty hot lately, so they should pop up soon! It's an addictive hobby. A month or two and I should be picking my first lettuce. That's gunna be a great day.
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Jan 5, 2012 09:15
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Penguin Radar posted:2 weeks ago, I moved into my first ever apartment. I've been in the military since College, and living on base, so a edible urban garden was the first order of business. Second, after furnishing the whole house at Ikea. Do you need a roomie? I'm good at putting together Ikea furniture. I'm jealous of your space. I live in a studio apartment on the third floor of my building. I did manage to successfully build my own version of an Aerogarden. Unfortunately, I didn't get quite enough light through my window, so my crop was small. Those five cherry tomatoes were delicious, though.
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Jan 17, 2012 03:26
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what's a good resource for starting up with Herbs indoors? I really like the idea of something on top of the fridge - my fridge-top is pretty much useless. I have a den at the back of my place that faces west, but for a variety of reasons doesn't get a tonne of direct sunlight. Since I do my photo correction there it's really not the best place for always-on fluorescents But if the fridge-top worked out well I would love to build a plant rack opposite the fridge and get a real good veggie grow-op going! and then do some container plants in the back yard... if it gets enough sun. there's a pipe structure with grape vines all over it and it's pretty dense in the summer, but I hear the plum tree at the very back does OK
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Jan 17, 2012 04:27
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