Gardening

[draggar]

I have to admit, things taste so much better when you know that you've grown it yourself.

Right now, I'm having dinner:

Basil chicken (basil from my own garden, fresh)
Rosemary potatoes (rosemary from my own garden, dried)
sliced tomatoes (from my own garden).

The herbs are far better than store bought and I can't remember if I've ever bought a tomato at a grocery store (not including farmer's markets) that was this rich in flavor.

We also have chickens. They lay small eggs (3 are about the size of a large egg) and I like to make scrambled eggs with them, they even taste great.

Interesting that before I couldn't grow a thing, Chia-Pets died on me but now I have a nice small (urban) garden. Tomatoes (beefsteaks, better boys, and cherry), several herbs, squash (one should be ready in a week or so), jalapeños (I think this one is dying) and strawberries (they don't do well here). The jalapeños were so crisp, flavorful and had the right bite to them. I miss them.

Sometimes we forget how things taste when they aren't pumped full of antibiotics, hormones, drugs, pesticides, etc..

I just wanted to share that and now I'm going to go enjoy the rest of my dinner.

[DomainBELL]

I'm so hungry now...

It's been awhile since I've been home enough in the summer to grow anything edible... hopefully this year I'll be here a bit more... doing a home construction project this year... so have to be here for that... (smile)

now if only you had taken pictures of your din-din...
so I could graze vicariously thorugh you...
LOL

or pictures of your garden...

I know... I'm never satisfied...



~DomainBELL (Patricia)

[draggar]

This is one thing I love about south Florida, you can grow just about all year round. I think my tomatoes are going to die soon, they're pretty big plants and I finally got that damn snail problem taken care of.

The garden isn't much to look at, a bunch of pots on some plastic shelves. It isn't pretty but it is good to eat.

Oh, and if anyone wants to know, the squash is butternut! YUMM!!!!!

[DomainBELL]

this year or next I want to try green beans in a huge patio planter pot with a trellis... never tried that before...

tomatoes are my all-time favorite vegetable to grow...
although - I've heard tomatoes called a fruit by some...
I'm not sure what's the right term... but I like calling it a vegetable..
so even if that's wrong... I don't want to be right...

LOL...

have you ever tasted spagetti squash ??

~DomainBELL (Patricia)

[stewie]

woo hoo Florida ...

only about 2,000 miles or 24hours away keep it warm...



LOL

[Acro]

How far south are you, Draggar?

[draggar]

How far south are you, Draggar?

Fairly south. Cuba is closer than Georgia.

(Fort Lauderdale area)

[PRED]

This is one thing I love about south Florida, you can grow just about all year round. I think my tomatoes are going to die soon, they're pretty big plants and I finally got that damn snail problem taken care of.

The garden isn't much to look at, a bunch of pots on some plastic shelves. It isn't pretty but it is good to eat.

Oh, and if anyone wants to know, the squash is butternut! YUMM!!!!!

butternut squash is beautiful,
i'm gonna try and grow some tomatoes this year. my mum grows her's in a tomato planter on the garage roof, gets the most sunlight (need all help can get in UK lol) and stops cats pissing on them lol

[mesuita]

And here in St. Augustine, I picked fresh butter lettuce, green onions, yellow squash, and heirloom tomatoes from my garden and had a delicious salad tonight. Tomorrow night I will have fresh string beans from my garden. Mighty fine eating this time of the year. Oh yes, this morning I had a large glass of fresh squeezed juice with my breakfast. It was a mixture of Valencia oranges, Chinese Honey oranges and Honey Bell oranges. What a way to start the day! The good part of this is all the fresh citrus juice in my freezer that will last me most of the year until the next season.

[draggar]

I wish I had the space to have a garden like that, mesuita. I only have a small patio. :(

[mesuita]

My garden is just 12' X 36', but what fun I have with it. I was raised in the country, just south of here, so gardening takes me back to my roots. Guess it's true that you can't take the country out of the girl.

[DomainBELL]

butternut squash is beautiful,
i'm gonna try and grow some tomatoes this year. my mum grows her's in a tomato planter on the garage roof, gets the most sunlight (need all help can get in UK lol) and stops cats pissing on them lol

do birds ever build nests in them up there ??



~DomainBELL (Patricia)

[jasdon11]

When I was a kid, my parents house had a big walled kitchen garden. We had potatoes, carrots, fresh peas (one of the best tastes ever, straight from the pod!), runner beans, strawberrys, gooseberrys, pear trees around the inner walls, rhubarb, and there was a greenhouse about 100' long with tomatoes and plants for the rest of the gardens. Must've been other stuff that I can't remember.

Had a seperate orchard too with apple and plum trees.

There's nothing like the taste of really fresh food.

[socalboy]

I'm going back to farming this year too LOL. Got 15 tomato plants on the picnic table out back to plant this weekend. Also want to put in some peppers. Have raspberries that survivied the drought, and an orange tree I'm trying to revive. Didn't get around to putting in the apricot and pomegranate trees I wanted; will have to wait until next year.

[DomainBELL]

I'm going back to farming this year too LOL. Got 15 tomato plants on the picnic table out back to plant this weekend. Also want to put in some peppers. Have raspberries that survivied the drought, and an orange tree I'm trying to revive. Didn't get around to putting in the apricot and pomegranate trees I wanted; will have to wait until next year.

do you notice a taste difference in an orange the season after a draught ??
does the effects carry over to the next years crop ??

~DomainBELL (Patricia)

[mesuita]

Some years are just poor years for growing citrus, but usually the following year will be better after one poor year. A lot of times you may need to sweeten your soil after one poor year.

[jdk]

My wife and I have been talking about starting a garden. We live in West Palm Beach.

dragger - where do you buy your seeds from? I have found a lot of exotic and crossbred seeds on Amazon I have been looking at.

[DomainBELL]

My wife and I have been talking about starting a garden. We live in West Palm Beach.

dragger - where do you buy your seeds from? I have found a lot of exotic and crossbred seeds on Amazon I have been looking at.

I had no idea Amazon sells seeds...
I'll put that on my "To Do List" and have a looksee...
thanks for sharing...

let me know if you actually buy/try any from Amazon...

thanks again...

~DomainBELL (Patricia)

[jdk]

I will let you know. Check it out. There have some crossbred seeds that are something else.

Any tips for keeping weeds out? Do you line the bottom of the garden with that black woven stuff they sell or just pick the weeds as you seen them?

[draggar]

I finally got that damn snail problem taken care of.

Ever hear of speaking too soon? When I got up this morning snails has eaten most of my only ripe tomato. :(

I cursed myself.

My garden is just 12' X 36',

My patio isn't even that big.

dragger - where do you buy your seeds from? I have found a lot of exotic and crossbred seeds on Amazon I have been looking at.

Home Depot but I rarely buy seeds, I usually get plants (small ones). I have better luck with those but I do have some plants that were seeds (scallions, still growing, and grape tomatoes, but I think they're dying).

Any tips for keeping weeds out? Do you line the bottom of the garden with that black woven stuff they sell or just pick the weeds as you seen them?

Weed them. Pull them out. If it's a serious issue, when the crops have started to grow (and they're strong), use either one of those mesh covers and/or mulch.