Kitchen garden

[Ladybug]

Does anyone have a kitchen garden where they grow herbs, vegetables, fruit, etc.? Mom and I are planting one this year and I was interested in hearing about your experiences. Last year we had a few tomato plants and bell pepper plants. Got lots of tomatoes, NO bell peppers, though the plant was gorgeous. :rolleyes:

This year we are planting potatoes, onions, cantaloupe, cucumbers, green beans and tomatoes. Mom also wants to plant some herbs. What do you plant?

[RoseMary]

I have had lots of herbs (basil, thyme, chives, oregano, mint) growing in containers right outside my kitchen door, but the trees have finally sent their limbs over too far for that (too shady) so I'll be moving them this year.

We are going to build at least two raised beds for the front/side yard and hopefully get some more small areas ready to grow food. Hopefully, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, and maybe some watermelons. I also want a broom corn patch and a pumpkin patch~mostly just for fun! My oldest dd wants to grow a large corn patch so we can make a maze--sounds like a lot of work to me:lol:.

[Lisa S]

I have strawberries, raspberries and blueberries planted around the edges of the garden and a couple of wild cherry trees in the back of the forest.

I plant tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkin lettuce, and squash. I usually have an array of herbs such as basil, dill, lavender, a few kinds of parsley and other odds and ends. This year, I have the seed packets for medicinal herbs to try...

[RoseMary]

I have used my herbs some in cooking, but have not used them medicinally. I am planning on adding some chamomile to my herbs this year. I am hoping it will help me sleep better~and I know it will be organic and not mixed with other herbs.

What medicinal herbs are you going to plant, Lisa?

[Lisa S]

I'll have to go out to the garden shed and check. I bought the seeds last year, but then never got around to planting them. I hope a few out of every packet are still good. I guess they should be...

[Ladybug]

I have tried starting from seed and every year I kill the little plants. I'm a plant baby-killer! We always buy the plants from the garden center. This year I think we're going to the farm store instead of Lowe's. It's cheaper and better quality, I've heard.

Rosemary, which zone are you in? I think we're in 7 (northern Oklahoma).

[rubyslippers]

I plant tomatoes (sweet 100's are GREAT) and my cinnamon basil is STILL living in my kitchen window from last year! Pesto - - yum. I saw your post about this garden with your Mom on the "saving money" forum. I think you will do a great job. I got some pepper starts last year, but I think I got some kind of blossom-rot or something. I am actually thinking of "borrowing" my Dad's yard for my "kitchen garden" this year - - so, we will have family inspired gardening going on around here. Despite being halfway across the country, we are pretty much in the same zone ... I range from a 6.5 to a 7.5 depending on the source. We'll gab tons as the weather warms up I am SURE!

Bye,

Jenny

[Ladybug]

Great! I need all the help I can get. When I was little my Mom had a huge garden, but stopped when we moved to a house with a shaded yard. Now she has a nice big plot on the back of her property that will work great. We just need to arm ourselves with information so we know what to do!

[Les B]

Ladybug,in the spring I have a large pot that I fill with herbs to put next to the grill. This grows all season. I use the herbs when I grill or cook anything. It's just nice to snip off fresh herbs and add to the food. I, too am a plant baby-killer. I usually buy mine at a small farmer's greenhouse, They sell the plants for a dollar for a 4' pot. Great selection. I've never use cinnamon basil in pesto, does it have a different taste? It's still snowing here so all this talk of planting makes me feel that spring is soon to be here.

Les B

[Ladybug]

Les B! I was beginning to wonder where you had disappeared to! Your herb garden sounds wonderful!

[cheapdiva]

One of our projects last summer was a raised herb bed in the courtyard. I had 2 of these at the old house and missed them. We didn't build it until later in the year but did manage to transplant some herbs from the big community garden across the street.

You can see back behind everything else - next to the brick wall. We put some morning glories way in the back to climb up the trellis (also moved from the garden!). I didn't take any photos at the end of summer when everything was in bloom - will do that this year.

Between the 2 churches across the street is a huge lot owned by one of the churches. They have community gardens and a playground at the back of the lot. Two of my neighbors have gardens there and I will take a small plot this year. Wish me luck . . . I am much more of a flower, tree and shrub kind of gal!!

[gigiG]

Okay Ladybug-don't laugh... when I saw Kitchen garden I thought at first, "WOW!" a garden in a kitchen-how perfect... as you can tell I have not one green thumb.

In a corner of our yard we will plant some tomatoes, green peppers, etc... last year it worked out nicely.

Cheapdiva- Beautiful picture! I could sit out there for hours....

[dedavis]

What a nice courtyard! There is nothing finer than a place to sit outside in the summer.

I've posted pix of my garden before. I have four 4X8 raised beds for vegetables. Had to go this route because the soil in the back yard is so questionable. Now I'm really glad I built them. I grow the usual variety of stuff, but am especially interested in salad crops and heirloom tomatoes. I always have 6 basil plants, usually 'Genovese', but this year I will be trying one called 'Mammoth' as well. For perennial herbs, I have sage, parsley and chives. And dill comes up on its own. I use them fresh in season, and dry as much as I can in late summer. Homemade pesto is the best-- I had some out of the freezer a couple days ago. For aromatic herbs, I have numerous lavender plants and sweet woodruff. Lots of thyme in the lawn. Last year I grew German chamomile, but it got weedy and unruly--probably needed more sun. This year I will try Roman chamomile, which is a low grower. I also want to try peppermint, and have a spot picked out where I can keep it from spreading everywhere.

I also have rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, grapes. Dwarf pear and cherry tree, and plums.

It's still snowing here too. Crazy spring squalls. I put some lettuce out under plastic cloches, and those are under fabric row cover. Hope springs eternal--it's just too cold still. In the house, I've got tomatoes, peppers and scallions under the grow light.

I love all this garden talk!

[jwilsie]

I'm lovin this garden talk as well.

Last year was the first time I had the ability to have a garden (we've been in our house one year this weekend). So last April I went out and planted all these great vegetables. And then a late frost hit. I pretty much lost everything and ended up just getting a few plants from our local nursery late in the season. Very disappointing.

But this year I'm going to plan better and wait until AFTER our last frost date. :) My seeds have already come in, I just have to wait until about mid-may to plant them. On the menu are: red and yellow heirloom tomatoes, bell peppers, green beans, squash, swiss chard, red onions, and spinach. I hope to put in some herbs too, although I can't decide if I should plant them or pot them.

I've been considering raised beds as well and am really glad others have tried it. Are they worth the effort? What are the pros/cons?

Another topic I wanted to throw out: has anyone ever made their own greenhouse before? I'm not talking anything high-tech at all, something really DIY - but was wondering if anyone had advice in that area. I've really got my heart set on having one in the next year or two, but would love to hear some practical advice before I jump into it. thanks!

[neverfinished]

Oh love love the courtyard! so peaceful looking out there!!!

We have kicked around the idea of raised beds for a few years. I used to have a large garden on our property but that ended when we built a small house for my grandparents so I could take care of them. They have both since past away so it's now out "guest" house. The back yard doesn't have a great spot for a garden nor is it very big. There is a corner that used to be some sort of a rock garden that the last owners put in. I took it apart but it still has a few tiers to it. I was thinking of maybe putting some herbs in pots out there. I have tried over and over and I just end up killing them. I think i have too much concrete and it gets way too hot. I do have a great area on the west side of the house but its very shady, is there anything that grows in the shade? Herbs? veggies? flowers? most of it is dirt right now. I usually do some cherry tomato plants in large pots.
As far as landscaping I haven't done much other than plant loads of lilacs. They are my favorites.
Pesto? I love pesto...is that hard to make?????

[Lisa S]

There is no downside to planting in a raised bed. It's easier to weed, water and keep out the pests than planting directly in the ground. You'll love it!

[Ladybug]

My Mom has a courtyard behind her house that's been neglected since they moved in. She just didn't know what to do with it. I'm going to show her that picture...I think it's perfect!!!

Raised beds: any suggestions for how to do this as inexpensively as possible? The whole purpose of doing this garden is to save money and be healthier, so spending a ton on supplies will kind of undermine that goal. :rolleyes:

[cheapdiva]

LBug -
It was a very neglected courtyard until last year. No plants - only God-awful lava rock everywhere. MANY of the plants were donated by friends who had overgrown gardens and we moved some plants from our overgrown front beds - this year's project.

Will be happy to pm you before pictures to get your mom excited.

I MISS GREEN GRASS AND PLANTS!!!!! Our kids in Seattle sent photos of the granddaughters out hunting for eggs on Easter morning. They have green everything and things blooming and yet our d-i-l says she needs to go on vacation to "thaw out". Sent her an e-mail yesterday telling her she has NO idea what it means to thaw out as we have had nearly 100" of snow this season - 2nd highest snowfall year on record.

[Chyna]

I think you can go as high tech or low tech as you need. Just look around your house and see what you have that can be used. One of my magazines even suggested stacked rock would be a good alternative. Or you can go to a lumberyard and buy the materials. All depends on what you have laying around.

[Lisa S]

We used 2 x 8 weather treated boards and nailed them together. Pretty simple stuff.

[RoseMary]

I have tried starting from seed and every year I kill the little plants. I'm a plant baby-killer! We always buy the plants from the garden center. This year I think we're going to the farm store instead of Lowe's. It's cheaper and better quality, I've heard.

Rosemary, which zone are you in? I think we're in 7 (northern Oklahoma).

Yes, I am in zone 7, Ladybug. I can grow from seeds as long as I am growing them in the container (or ground) where they will stay permanently--otherwise I tend to kill them, too:eek:.

I will probably buy most of my plants at Wal Mart, as places like Lowe's are just too far away for plant travel--we always seem to squash them or burn them up when we have to drive very far with them:(.

We are hoping to have some raised beds this year,too. Deb shared her plans for building them with us and that is the plan that we will use. My husband called the saw mill in town Saturday and it will be at least two weeks until they have any cedar~they have a big order for pine right now.

[dedavis]

I know I speak for many of us when I look to the sky and ask, "WILL IT EVER STOP?" We got 2 more inches overnight.

Seattle is an hour away, on another planet. Spring comes early there.

The time and expense of raised beds is totally worth it. You can grow crops close together, there's less weeding, watering is efficient, and you can build up the soil. There are lots of ways to do it. CL had an article about a guy who made his with big rocks. I was going to do that till I discovered how much work it is to pick up and haul big rocks. So I used lumber. You could also use concrete blocks. Gardener's Supply has kits that use either wood or plastic lumber. Do some research and figure out what will work best for you.

I had a little greenhouse once, a homemade affair attached to the south side of the garage. It was great for starting plants, but got really hot in the summer. It also tended to collect garden junk, so an annual cleanup was in order. There's tons of information out there--plans, kits, etc. Again, do the research and find what you can afford that will work for you. I'd love to have a little one again someday, where I could not just start plants, but keep tender blooming plants alive all winter. My sunny porch works pretty well, but it's not heated.

Hey, if you haven't started your peppers and tomatoes yet, better get going. It takes several weeks for them to get big enough to plant outside. Basil too. If you're buying starts, don't worry about it. But the seeds need to get going.

Here's hoping the snow goes away and stays away!

[Whidbey5]

When we put in our back yard last spring, we made a kidney-shaped kitchen garden. I planted two kinds of tomtoes, green beans, peas, a few onions, and a pumpkin plant. The tomatoes went wild and produced more than we could eat, so both my husband and I took them to our respecitve schools to share with the staff. The one tiny pumpkin plant I stuck in the ground TOOK OVER, producing three beautiful pumpkins, one for each of our kids!

We also have blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, but they are incorporated into other parts of the gardens.

We had a kitchen garden at the camp I went to as a kid. The cook used to go out while preparing dinner and get fresh herbs. We used to sneak into the raspberry rows and pinch raspberries until we were shooed away!

[Chyna]

I saw an idea in one of my magazines where they built planter boxes on the sides of the steps to the deck and you could just step out the door and the plants were right there. That is my intention this summer to build one of these things along my steps, once I relocate them first. What-were-they-thinking hits again. devious

[cheapdiva]

okay all . . .
heading to las vegas with kids and grandkids!!! So will see how the desert flowers look. will check in every few days as we are taking the laptop and I'll post photos.

Deb - I hear you about the friggin' "s" word - ENOUGH already!!!!!!

[Lisa S]

Maria ~ Have a safe journey. Face west and holler loud. Maybe we'll hear you.

More dusting of snow this morning. Crazy!

[neverfinished]

It's starting to get a bit tiresome isn't it? I'm over the snow.. bring on the warm weather!!!!!

How big is your kidney shaped kitchen garden? I might be able to do something along those lines maybe tie it into the weirdo rock garden..**;

[dedavis]

Fine Gardening's online newsletter has two articles of interest this month, one on designing a cottage garden, and another on planning a vegetable garden. I haven't looked at them yet due to my slow dial-up connection, but I'm sure they're worth looking at.

http://finegardening.com

Everything outside is on hold till the snow stops and things warm up. The good thing is that the crocus and snowdrops will last longer--I have to find some positive thought!

Updates...my friend Mikki is doing OK. It's been a month since the accident, and she's getting around pretty well. It has taken this long for the swelling and pain to subside so surgery is scheduled for April 10th. They have to reconstruct her knee. We've started calling her Full-Throttle, because that's what she wants to be in five months. She's already planning to kayak with her ever-present dog companion, Maddie the tiny yellow lab. If her leg doesn't work, she will use her arms. But first we have to get her through the post-surgery phase.

Today I take my dog companion back to his other custodian. He's been here for 6 weeks, and it has been good for all of us. Hawkeye is quite fit for his age, having gone on daily walks which have helped his arthritis. It's been great for my overconfident young cat to have a dog get in his face. It's been great for my timid old cat to kick the dog off the fleecy bed in front of the stove. And it's been wonderful for me to see my old friend running down the trail, ears flapping. It might work out for him to come for other visits. We'll see.

And my winter work ended yesterday, due to funding being used up. It still feels like winter, but I hung up my snowshoes, wrote one last citation for a parking violation, and have my uniform in the laundry. Tomorrow I head off to Boise for a week of fire training, then it's back to getting the saws running for spring and summer, and hiring the rest of the trail crew.

AND I will send the swap box to Gigi before I go to Idaho!

I'll talk to you all again in about a week. Sorry to sidetrack the gardening thread...

[Lisa S]

I bet you're missing your pooch. I can't believe that 6 weeks has gone so quickly.

Do you ever travel past Weiser Idaho? It's just on the Oregon/Idaho border and not too far from Boise. That's where my husband and his family are from.

[Karinbob]

I thought I would share a few photos from my yard. This is my Rosemary bush, Begonia and some Sweet Williams. I love the pink and purple! Things are just beginning to bloom. I can't wait till everything is in full bloom!! I really want to plant some vegetables this year. I don't have a lot of space so I am thinking of planting the veggies in pots this year.

Happy Spring!!:D

[Ladybug]

So pretty!!!

[RoseMary]

I love your Begonia! My dog slept on mine last year (it had only been planted in the ground a few months) and killed it. So I'll have to start over this year~but the few blooms I had were beautiful!

[charlottetucker]

i'm hoping someone out there has a solution to my little dilemma. i am planting a small vegetable garden this year, trying to place the veggies among my established perennials and landscaping. i need ideas for containing the vines of vegetables/fruit such as cucumbers, squash and cantaloupe. i don't want the vines to completely take over. any ideas?
thanks!

[dedavis]

Hi Charlotte. You might try trellises for your vines. I make A-frames with wood and chicken wire for the cucumbers in my raised beds. It gives them more space to climb. I grow a bush zucchini called 'Cocozelle', which doesn't spread as much. Gardener's Supply Company has lots of plant supports, but you can also make your own.

How are the gardens coming along? I have planted lettuce, snap peas, scallions, radishes and carrots. The whole bed has fabric row cover over it to raise the soil temperature a few degrees and protect the plants from the cold wind. I'll be harvesting baby lettuces in a week or so--that fabric is a big help in extending the growing season!

The front porch is jammed with tomatoes, peppers and basil that won't go out till it's a lot warmer. I started them from seed. There's enough for my garden, and some to give away.

[RoseMary]

We bought some tomato and bell pepper plants today and plan to get them out tomorrow afternoon. I'm going to buy some more tomato plants and some jalepeno plants this week--I want to make lots of salsa this year, if everything grows well.

Nothing else going, just yet.

[carolinagirl]

Oh how I would love a yard big enough for raised beds and even some little chickens!

I have done a container garden on my patio...which is a good size. Lots of herbs...rosemary, mint, sage, basil, cilantro, parsley, oregano, thyme...and patio tomatoes and even cucumbers and pole beans and peppers. The herbs are doing great and I have little tomatoes on the plant. The cucumber vine and pole beans are growing and I'm hoping for good results. This year is definitely the learning year for us. Any tips for container gardens would be great!

My children are absolutely thrilled watching all of this. Right now while they are outside playing, they pinch off some of the herbs to taste. I can't wait until we can pick some of the veggies for them.

Also, what type of "food" do y'all give your plants? I've just been watering them, but wonder if I should give them a little miracle grow...or something more organic.

[Memmey]

LOL I had to wait till it had grown enough for you to see it. Here's my little kitchen garden with Miss Runt( she is 11) in the background.
Basil and parsley. Tomatoes and zucchini. Bell peppers and yellow peppers. Hopefully some marigolds to shoo away the bugs. Now grow grow grow :lol:http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o243/memmey/things080.jpg

[Lisa S]

You're way ahead of me, sista! Looks great!

[Memmey]

This is not to highjack the gardening thread but to make everyone smile a little today. Here is the sweet man who ...sometimes....walks through my garden.;):p


http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o243/memmey/things084.jpg





He really is a good good boy. This is Chev.:)





edit: you can tell by his ears that he was a little afraid of the camera...what a watch dog...LOL

[carolinagirl]

What sweet dogs you have! I'm a big dog lover...small dog lover too. LOL!!

Question...when growing bellpeppers, do you need any thing for them to grow on/up?

Also, what type of food do y'all feed your garden plants? Mine are in containers if that makes a difference.

Thanks

[Memmey]

Hello Carolina :) Your bell peppers don't need a thing. They will be fine. Even if they have alot of peppers on them, they will be OK.

I'm gonna feed mine with fish emulsion. I commented last summer about it and how horrible it smells. It is the best thing to grow plants. Miracle grow and bag fertilizer are chemicals and don't make good earth wormy dirt. In fact Miracle grow leaves a whitish residue on the soil...what's that????
Fish emulsion is ground up chum I think. Anyway it makes the soil really rich with good bacteria. Earth wormy ;).

They sell it at Lowes or any garden center I would think. Not expensive, about $8 a bottle. I still have mine from last summer and I used it alot.

Fresh vegetables are around the corner:D good luck.

[Lisa S]

Carolina ~ Oh, the joys of gardening with kids! My kids love it and they love the harvest season too. My youngest has his own mortar and pestle to grind our dried herbs. He packs them in pretty little bottles from Goodwill. It's his "signature gift" at Christmas.

I found a really neat idea on Magic Cabin's website. I'm going to make a playhouse from wire fencing and let pole beans, and sunflowers grow up and thru it. I'll try to download a picture of it...

Memmy ~ what a darling young pooch.

[dedavis]

I use fish emulsion too. It's a stinky brown liquid that you mix with water and then sprinkle your plants. I use it on everything. This year I am also trying organic alfalfa meal. It's not real high in nutrients, but does give the plants a little boost. You mix it in with the soil before you plant, or side dress the plants after they're in the ground.

Here's my speech--healthy plants come from healthy soil! The best thing you can do is build up good rich dirt by adding organic material. I'm a fanatical composter (love the idea of a complete cycle). You can do it yourself, it's really cheap, and it reduces the amount of garbage you throw away. You end up with this great stuff to put on your plants. It's a great feeling to not have to resort to synthetic chemicals. The last issue of Mother Earth News has a good article on organic fertilizers.

You can make good soil in your containers by mixing a little manure and compost in with the dirt before you plant.

What a cute guy, Memmey. How can you resist those big brown eyes?

[dedavis]

Just ran outside and snapped this...the sun is shining this morning after rain in the night. Lettuce is thriving, radishes are coming along. Pea germination has been spotty--I just reseeded for the third time!

More gardening today. I'm treating myself to a trip to the nursery, but hope I can stick to my list...

[Memmey]

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.......That is gonna be a great harvest. Good job missy, it looks wonderful.


I'm not hihjacking this but Diva will be at my house in about 30 or 40 minutes...can you believe. We will have lots to tell tomorrow.

We're going Ca-junking.....:D:D:D and eating of course :o

[dedavis]

Oh boy, I want to hear all about that visit! And see a picture of the junk and food!

[RoseMary]

Mem, your dogs are so sweet!! I love Chev's pic, especially.

Deb and Mem, both of your gardens look great!

Lisa, what a cute litte Magic Cabin. Please post some pictures of yours when it's grown! Seems I saw one once that was a 'teepee' that you grew for the kids to get inside of.

Has anyone ever grown their tomatoes hanging 'upside down' in buckets?

My hubby planted one like that today, but I think the 'bucket' is too small--only a 3lb. coffee can.



R~Mary

[Lisa S]

I'll take a picture when I get it planted...

I've never tried the upsidedown tomatoes. Let us know how it turns out.

[Wannabe_Writer]

:confused:Recently I read several articles about Topsy Turvey Tomatoes. You take a bucket, a small trash can with a lid, cut a hole in the bottom of the can, stick your tomato plant roots up inside, hold it up there from the outside while on the inside you add little pebbles and your dirt. You have to hold onto the plant until you are sure you have enough soil etc... covering it that it will be secure enough not to fall out. Supposedly, once it starts growing, the sun will cause the leaves to turn uptowards it and then when the tomatoes come out they will hang down again. You have to leave the lid on except for when you are watering it. It keeps the moisture in or something like that. I thought about trying that because I have a balcony and I get plenty of sun but not all day long. I thought I could put a plant light on it to make sure it would get enough light. My question is what would be the best tomato to grow in such a fashion. I love tomatoes and I could eat my weight in them, I just don't like the store bought ones. I'll eat them if they aren't too bad, but I have been known to walk away and not buy any. So I'm really wanting to grow some this summer. Also what other type of vegetables could I grow in a container, not all upside down, LOL. Does anyone have any ideas. Thank you in advance, I know someone out there will know something. I've been reading your posts and I am very impressed with the members. Thank you all for having me, I look forward to getting to know you. You seem like a closely knitted group and I like that. Strangers from all around meeting and becoming friends, that is simply terrific. Sorry I wrote so much.

[Lisa S]

Hi ~ we're glad you joined us!

I bet some kind of vine tomato would be a good pick for any type of container garden. Other options for container gardens might be peppers and herbs of all kinds. Sorry my brain isn't fully functioning... my first cup of coffee hasn't hit my system yet.

[RoseMary]

Hi Wannabe~nice to meet you! We are growing tomatoes, peppers, cucmbers, and squash in containers, as well as all of our annual herbs. I'm sure there are more types of vegetables that you can grow in them, too.

Our cucumber and squash containers are pushed up against a fence, so they can grow 'up' and take up less space, as well as get more air around them. We are growing small varieties of these. This will be the first time we've tried growing squash like this.

The tomatoes you grow in the topsy turvy fashion should be small to medium sized tomatoes--the heavy ones will break the plant.

[carolinagirl]

My garden is in containers so would the fish emulsion still be okay for that. How much would I use...on herbs, patio tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pole beans?

Also, what should I do about little pests? Anything organic?

Thanks again!

[Lisa S]

Rosemary ~ maybe I should try my pickle cucumbers in a container... I never thought of that. Can you tell me how you trellised them?

[Lisa S]

You could plant marigolds for pest control. You can buy ladybugs for the same purpose.

[RoseMary]

Lisa, we are just growing them next to the fence where we have the containers. They are not really big enough to 'climb' just yet, but I've raised red runner beans on my fencing and it works really well. It is just plain welded wire type fencing.

R~Mary

[dedavis]

Carolina Girl, fish emulsion will be fine for your plants in containers. Just mix according to the instructions. I think mine says 3 tablespoons per gallon for vegetables. Watch for pests--you might not get any. If you get something you can identify, then you can treat for it.

Something is eating my peppers and basil and I can't figure out what! It's driving me nuts!