(Green Ajah) Nature Week 2016: Earth - Gardening Discussion

[LilyElizabeth]

 

 

 

I can’t grow a thing in the Arizona soil. I’m here to learn from you.

Please post pictures of your accomplishments and tips for gardening.

 

1. Do you garden or have you gardened in the past?
2. How successful were you?
3. Do/did you grow food or ornamental plants (ie flowers, shrubs, etc.)?
4. What was your favorite?

 

 

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

I gardened in the past, and I was fairly successful.

 

I grew food only. My friend planted flowers, perennials, and some herbs in the other half. I encroached on the edges of the flower garden by planting pumpkins on the outside of the fence in piles of manure and compost, etc.

 

Between food and flowers, my favorite was food. I never saw a point in putting so much work into not food.

 

Of all the foods I grew my favorites were potatoes. It was like digging up treasure to harvest them, and you'd always miss some, so they kept coming back every year. Blues were the best for yield and my friend's kids loved the,. I grew yellow, red, pink, and white ones too.

 

I grew most everything that would grown where I lived, and most things did very well in surprisingly little space.

[LilyElizabeth]

Any tips?

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

Any tips?

Talk to the people who garden in your area(especially the older folks who have been at it longer, and who could probably use the company and the respect), talk to your local cooperative extension and your local nursery about what grows best in your area, and how to improve your soil.

 

I gardened in rocky clay soil, which held moisture and minerals, and kept the flora and wee fauna in the soil healthy, and did poorly with mulch, and did well with raised beds.

 

I suspect you have the opposite, and the best way to learn except by doing is to talk to the folks with experience.

 

You'll find your local nurseries mostly sell things that grow well where you are. I would start with one or two things to get a feel for it, and expand slowly as you improve your soil.

 

Beware department stores and chains that will try to sell anything anywhere regardless of the appropriateness to the area.

 

You may find neighbors who will give you cuttings or seeds from their gardens, and local farmers who will let you have compost and manure for the shoveling.

 

Um... That's pretty much it, in a non specific sense.

 

Oh, ya, and container gardening can be a good start on a small scale. Contrary to popular wisdom, in a dry climate I would stick to plastic and avoid clay and ceramic because they dry out the soil too quickly.

[LilyElizabeth]

I've had good experience with container gardening, until the fruit flies ate all my herbs. 

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

I've had good experience with container gardening, until the fruit flies ate all my herbs.

 

This looks like sensible advice for fruit flies

 

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/rid-fruit-flies-breeding-plant-dirt-59391.html

[LilyElizabeth]

It looks like really good advice. When I start growing again, I'll try it. 

[Ryrin]

We grow small tomatoes every year. I'm envious of my cousin's gardens. They live in Arkansas.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

1. Do you garden or have you gardened in the past?
2. How successful were you?
3. Do/did you grow food or ornamental plants (ie flowers, shrubs, etc.)?
4. What was your favorite?

 

1. I have gardened in the past... in pots. That counts, right?

2. Not. Barely. Maybe?

3. Yes, it was ornamental. Still is... I think I have one plant in my room.

4. Well, my favourite thing to do is actually germinating avocado plants. I have about 5 of them that are thinking about germinating in my room.

 

This is a picture of the first one I germinated - this is past the point of germination, when it already has a good root system.

 

[kukasö]

My family has a garden but mainly it's my mom who garden :).

 

My experience so far is mowing and trimming bushes/shrubs and trees.

 

And this year we made together raised garden beds. Was my dream for some time because I hate dirt everywhere from garden beds without borders.

[Guest]

Do you garden or have you gardened in the past?

I have a large plot where I grow all of the vegetables and grain I need.

 

How successful were you?

My land hasn't gone fallow yet so I guess I am successful.

 

Do/did you grow food or ornamental plants (ie flowers, shrubs, etc.)?

I have mainly grown food, but I have grown some flowers and shrubs. Some of the flowers are suppose to keep certain pests away while providing food for pollinators. I've grown yew and some other shrubby trees around certain parts of my land to act as barriers or help stabilise the soil.

 

What was your favorite?

I particularly like barley or oats, whichever one I happen to be growing. It allows me a reason to use the scythe and I always liked winnowing.

[LilyElizabeth]

Such interesting stories! Ryrin, I envy your cousin, too. 

 

Do any of you have any gardening tips?

[Ryrin]

We seem to have a thing for tomatoes. We didn't even plant them this year hand we have tons of tiny ones.

 

I read that coffee grounds can keep out snails.

[Ryrin]

 

1. Do you garden or have you gardened in the past?
2. How successful were you?
3. Do/did you grow food or ornamental plants (ie flowers, shrubs, etc.)?
4. What was your favorite?

 

1. I have gardened in the past... in pots. That counts, right?

2. Not. Barely. Maybe?

3. Yes, it was ornamental. Still is... I think I have one plant in my room.

4. Well, my favourite thing to do is actually germinating avocado plants. I have about 5 of them that are thinking about germinating in my room.

 

This is a picture of the first one I germinated - this is past the point of germination, when it already has a good root system.

 

 

 

I love avocados.

[Guest]

I don't have much to add in terms of gardening tips. Learn about what kind of soil you have - that can be done by simply sampling some of it or if you don't know what you are looking at, ask someone who knows about it. Then learn about what kind of things will grow in that soil. If you live in a desert, I am thinking other than cacti you might be able to grow types of corn, beans, and squash at least as that is what the natives grew there, but then again, that depended on being situated in a very particular place. Essentially plant things that are native there or pretty much suited to that climate, because if you don't, you have to waste resources or time just to keep them alive, which you may or may not want to do. Anything else I could say is really only relevant to my climate and area.

[Ryrin]

Such interesting stories! Ryrin, I envy your cousin, too. 

 

Lily, that was his "Garden #1."

[LilyElizabeth]

Well, it's getting time to wrap this up. I want to thank you all for your input and especially Cindy for her help with the fruit fly issue I've had. 

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

You're Welcome, and thank you for reminding me how much I love gardens :)