Planning 2008 gardens!

[Rawmommie]

This is the time of year I get the itch. It's freezing, miserable, & nothing will grow, so where does my mind take me? To my garden!

So, what are you planning for this year's garden? I know some of you use the square foot method, I *might* use that this year, I don't know! I'm tilling up a new garden (last one was too close to a black walnut tree and everything was awful).

I have done containers, but I want to grow more and live off my food, so I need to go bigger. I know I will be doing a soil test and find out what I need (never done this, but think there must be something missing b/c I have a black thumb of sorts.

Right now I've started some herbs from seeds, I want to do an herb garden too this year. I know I want lettuce (loose, mixed) and tomatoes,(I could live off just salad made with these) but not sure what else I will grow. Something I can't kill!

How about you??? What are your plans? Do you have pics of last year's gardens? I need ideas!

[GlimR]

Hi Karen~
Boy do I know that "itch". I am in Florida right now and can't grow a thing here but ants and sand!! But I have had extensive gardens and will again. Getting your soil tested so you can add the right ammendments is agreat idea....may have to adjust ph, etc...
Once you have that right the veggies are so easy to grow and amazing how much you get from one little flat of plants. I always grew several kinds of tomatoes, cherry, beefsteak and plum tomatoes to dry. Assorted peppers,cucumbers, squash and zucchini, sugar peas, broccoli and cauliflower, melons... carrots and beets if you till the soil up deeply or have deep containers.
Can't wait to move back north later this year. Will not have my gardens back till 2009, but man am I ready..at least in heart and head...wishing you abundance~

[juliebove]

I use Earthboxes. I will do three kinds of tomatoes, maybe four. Probably three types of peppers and some onions. Not sure what else. Tried lemon cucumbers last year and had to plant them repeatedly because something (slugs?) was eating them. That was frustrating.

[FloridaPatty]

I have a lot of fruit trees, so I'm in really good shape there. Usually the winter veggies grow well, but it was so cold a couple weeks ago all my broccoli died.

One of my favorite web sites is Plants for a Future - www.pfaf.org. They talk about raising plants that are easy to grow in your area and periennal veggies. There is a periennal broccoli. A lot of regular plants are edible and they have an incredible list: day lilies, hostra, sweet potato leaves, etc. I have a summer salad garden here in FLorida because I grow unusual plants that most people don't eat. Purslane is the highest plant with omega-3 oils. Beautiful ground cover. Use in a salad. Depending on when you pick it, you get flower buds or flowers on it.

Day lilies leave me cold. The leaves are like eating straw.
Sweet potatos grow well here. The leaves just add to the salad. Maroon hibiscus is a dark maroon. Beautiful leaves and somewhat sweet. Added to the salad they make a nice contrast with all that green stuff.

Moringa - a periennal here in Florida, even though it dies back to the ground every winter. It grows 40 feet every summer. Higher calcium content than milk and tons of other vitamins and minerals.

Malabar spinch - tasty. Jewals of Opar - high in iron.

Etc. There is a lot of food out there and we know so little.

[spicyfull]

Pardon ME while I BRAG a little.........I have already ordered Collard seeds and they are coming up so beautiful. I once had Tree Collards which you could break off and stick in the ground and it would grow. When I needed new ones from friends whom I had given pieces too......they had none. I plan to use the Collards in Green Smoothies...

I keep Herbs in Pots outside ALL year long. I grow Sage in the ground ALL year long. I keep the Nursery pots filled to give anyone who ask. Don't forget to plant some Argula, its nice in a Salad. I have Green Tomatoes from last season.

I have just about every Fruit Tree......Orange(Navel and Blood) Lime and Lemon. 3 Apple Trees. Green Fig, Kumquat, Cling Peach Tree..White Peach Tree. Tangerine and GrapeFruit Tree. Pear Tree that has 5 different types of Pears on it ,Grape Vines. I am sure I have forgotten something.

We are having Rain, which I really don't like but I am using this time to do some transplanting. Yesterday I propagated a Grape Vine from a cutting, usually I Layer them. I forgot Strawberries and Blueberries and Blackberries.

I had rather have MY hands in soil than almost anything. Don't let me have a bag of soil and a pot, something is going to get planted. I should have Stock in "SuperSoil".

Roses are My Wonder....

[vivctfem27]

what state are you in? I wish I go hang out with you and learn , you sound like you could teach a few things.

[Conscious Midwife]

My focus is going to be assorted herbs that I can later dry in ZEUS my dehydrator and save for winter dishes or give as gifts.

Will also plan for tomatoes, squash, cuccs and assorted greens for my smoothies.

Everything in assorted containers and terracota pots I think.

[Aleesha Sattva]

i'm growing lots of greens this year. collard greens, kale, swiss chard, more kale, more collards LOL

[rawstrength]

It snowed again today in Western MA. I'm tired of winter! lol
So, I ordered some seeds online today. Four different kinds of tomatoes from www.tomatobob.com
Also, from another website, some calendula seeds, basil seeds, zuchini, borage, pole beans, canteloupe, lettuce, sugar snap peas and mixed spicy greens. I already have some seeds for broccoli and cucumber. Yes, I can't wait to be using my sundried calendula in home made 100&#37; natural moisturizers and skin tonics. I look forward to eating beautiful blue borage flowers in my salads. I can't wait to touch the warm earth again. I <3 gardens!

[kaybee]

on this note, just wondering if anyones ever tried to grow maca... i know that it supposedly grows "only in the andes..." but id love to give it a try. i bet it can be grown SOMEWHERE in the US. i know there was someone on the board a few months ago that had gotten some seeds from bolivia but was waiting till spring to plant...anyone else ever tried this and/or anyone know where to get organic maca seeds?...

kb

[spicyfull]

It snowed again today in Western MA. I'm tired of winter! lol
So, I ordered some seeds online today. Four different kinds of tomatoes from www.tomatobob.com
Also, from another website, some calendula seeds, basil seeds, zuchini, borage, pole beans, canteloupe, lettuce, sugar snap peas and mixed spicy greens. I already have some seeds for broccoli and cucumber. Yes, I can't wait to be using my sundried calendula in home made 100% natural moisturizers and skin tonics. I look forward to eating beautiful blue borage flowers in my salads. I can't wait to touch the warm earth again. I <3 gardens!

I have Calendula already in Bloom......Would you like to share your Recipe for your Beauty Creams???????

[rawstrength]

Sure! My recipes are very simple.
Calendula rinse
Dry your calendula petals and steep them in some warm (120 F) water until a dark tea is formed. Strain and use to rinse your hair and skin.
Calendula cream
Melt equal parts cacao butter and coconut oil. Take another equal part dried calendula petals and blend them into a powder in your blender. Mix into the melted oils.

[sugarsnap]

Does anyone know where I can buy the seedlings. I do not have much room to start seeds and it would be helpful to purchase organic plants (seedlings)instead.

[FloridaPatty]

Does anyone know where I can buy the seedlings. I do not have much room to start seeds and it would be helpful to purchase organic plants (seedlings)instead.

Or you could get those peat pots and put seeds in them. They don't take much room.

[sugarsnap]

Thanks FloridaPatty,
I do believe we have several co-ops that have organic vendors, maybe they also sell plants. Otherwise, yes I will have to resort to peat pots and turn my bedroom into a hot house.