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Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Friday, February 20, 2004 - 11:54 am
I know many of you are still snowbound, but even when I lived in Michigan, I would dream away the winter pouring over gardening catalogs. Is anyone here interested in gardening? Exchanging ideas, tips, hints, seeds, etc.? I have a lot of plans, and a lot of containers to get filled!
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Jagger
Member
08-07-2002
| Friday, February 20, 2004 - 12:00 pm
I love to play around in the garden, I have several perenial gardens and a vegtable garden. I'm no expert at any of it but I sure do enjoy seeing what I can create.
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Secretsmile
Member
08-19-2002
| Friday, February 20, 2004 - 1:08 pm
I have several large perenial gardens. I love my perenials but this is the time of year I start from seed some of my favorite annuals, to add some pizzazz to the gardens. I tried buying those fancy seedling starter kits from our local Agway, but I honestly have better luck by saving and using cardboard egg cartons, I made my own 'greenhouse' by getting foil pans with plastic lids from the dollar store. I live in the northeast, I won't be putting anything in the ground for a few months yet. But I'm very interested in what grows best for other people.
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Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Friday, February 20, 2004 - 3:35 pm
I have a bunch of 2002 seed packets. I'm going to do a germination test this weekend. I'll be planting in 3oz Dixie Cups and putting them in the greenhouse on the patio.
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Spinner
Member
10-27-2003
| Friday, February 20, 2004 - 4:42 pm
It's about time to start some seedlings here, too, LK, I usually wait until the worst of the winter rains are past as my patio greenhouse floated away one year. It's not that Southern Calif gets all that much rain; our yard just drains badly--right into the patio. We did plant 3 new rosebushes today; removed 3 that we planted many years ago and now bear sparsely, if at all. The new ones join 3 more that have been doing well for many years. Since the "veggie garden" (so small, but we get a lot out of it) is in the drainage problem area, I'll wait another couple of weeks before I start anything out there, too. LK, what's in your 2002 seed packets? Veggies? Flowers? What does everyone most enjoy in a garden? Beautiful flowers for cutting? Veggies that are better than the store-bought? Something else?
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Secretsmile
Member
08-19-2002
| Friday, February 20, 2004 - 5:22 pm
We haven't done veggies in several years, once the kids got older and weren't home as often for meals I felt like I wasted more than we ate. Last year we planted our first rose bushes, my husband insisted, although does he feed them every ten days or keep them pruned??? LOL! Right now they are under about 18 inches of mulch and another foot or so of snow. Keep your fingers crossed for us that they survive. I have a stone wall that we put up just to hide the garbage cans, last year I planted Morning Glories on it. It looked gorgeous, but this year I shall plant about a quarter of what I did. They grew over the wall, up the cable wire to the second floor of the house. It was a mess. I also plan to start Sweet Pea seedlings, they just smell so good. I got some cute decorative wire lattices I plan to stick beside the front steps so when anyone walks up to my porch they think I'm nice because my place smells so good! Has anyone ever tried a one color garden? I saw an all white one in a magazine and it looked so peaceful, I thought of changing one in my backyard to all white.
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Jagger
Member
08-07-2002
| Friday, February 20, 2004 - 5:55 pm
For some reason I just can not grow roses, I've tried seveal times but I just have no luck with them. I grow a lot of lillies, cone flowers, tulips, daises, flaux, asters and a few others I can't recall. Than in the front yard I have a shade garden, I mostly have hostas and astibies in there. I fill in with a few annuals to add a little more color. I don't have the room in my house for any seedlings so I have to wait and buy plants, or throw the seeds into the soil after it is free of frost, and in MN you never know when you'll get a late frost so I usally just buy my annuals already started. In my vegtable garden last year I had about 10 tomato plants, 8 green.red,and yellow pepper plants, some baby carrots, beans, and giant radishes. I had never heard of giant raddishes before until I saw the seeds in the store, they definitly turned out to be giant radish, they were the size of a soft ball. I'm going to try to post a pictue of the radish, but I haven't posted since we moved to the new site.
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Suitsmefine
Member
07-29-2002
| Friday, February 20, 2004 - 7:41 pm
Wow, Jagger, You have a green thumb! That is one big radish! (some beautiful tomatoes too, I might add!) Secret, What I enjoy most about my garden...EVERYTHING!!! I find it very relaxing just to sift the soil through my fingers or even weeding.LOL I have mostly shade loving plants in front of the house...azaleas, hostas, astilbes, columbine, and my pride and joy...wild yellow lady slipper orchids that I got from my Grandmas garden. Alot of the plants in my large garden by our pool are from starts from my Grandmas garden...Iris', daylilies, tiger lilies, asiatic lilies, daffodils, tulips, spiderwart,daisies, mums,hollyhocks, peony's,(too many others to mention) and I rooted starts of all her roses.My absolute favorite shrubs are Buddleias (butterfly bushes) I have a lavender one, a pink one, a dark purple and last year I added a yellow one. The butterflies and hummingbirds adore them. Lkunkel, Thanks so much for starting this thread! I love it!
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Cancunkid
Member
10-01-2003
| Friday, February 20, 2004 - 7:57 pm
Secretsmile you might not have to plant a thing. Morning glories are really great reproducers and reseed themselves well. I love to garden. I have huge trees so most of mine have got to be shade gardens. I do have a nice sunny spot.....new in front of my new front porch that must be planted this year. It faces West so I am really at a loss for what to plant. Last year I just planted annuals and tropicals. So a blank slate this year. My favorite tomatoes now are some tiny guys called Sweet 100s. I planted 3 plants in a 3 x 20 foot section behind my garage and they vined all the way up to the roof and were covered COVERED super covered with little red wonderful sweet tomatoes. I don't know if it was because the ground was warm due to the dryer vent so they started growing quickly or what but they took over and I am hoping they have reseeded themselves. I wish I had taken a picture of those plants. I am going to try to put in a water feature this year. I have a creek that is my backyard border. I really want to figure out a way to legally put a small dam in so that the water spilling over it would sound so nice. We tried with some railroad ties last year but had a 6 inch rain before we could get them attached with rebar.
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Secretsmile
Member
08-19-2002
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 9:38 am
Just a hint about railroad ties, when we bought this house the back yard was lined with them. The grass didn't grow, and even with mixing in new top soil we didn't get a good even lawn. I was told by a family friend who is a professional landscaper that the oil mixture that soaked rail road ties eventually soaks into the soil and ruins it. He recommended if we wanted to keep them to coat them with something. We didn't want to keep them so I didn't pay attention to what procedure to use. Now these were real ties, probably stolen from the train tracks that are about a half mile from us. They aren't the kind you can now buy for lawn decoration.
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Colossus
Member
10-04-2003
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 2:50 pm
This should be an interesting summer. I have several type of sunflower seeds. When I plant them they will be tall and short, wide and orange. I know she will , but I want the party in the garden to begin.!
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Goddessatlaw
Member
07-19-2002
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 2:54 pm
THERE BETTER NOT BE ANY BEES ON THE DECK!!
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Jagger
Member
08-07-2002
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 3:12 pm
GAL I also can not stand bees, but I found if you give them something else to buzz around, such as flowers there is a better chance they will leave you and your pop or food alone.
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Colossus
Member
10-04-2003
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 3:17 pm
See; Thats my point. If the birds & the bees have some other place to circle around, Why worry about Lil ol me.? heheh
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Yankee_in_ca
Member
08-01-2000
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 4:25 pm
I live in the middle of the city, but I am lucky enough to have a 600 square foot deck overlooking the marina (this much outdoor space is a luxury downtown). So all my gardening has to be in containers. Any container garden experts here?? (I was actually out on my deck today in the sun, puttering around and dreaming of the day that I can start with my plants. Not bad for February in Canada )
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Rosie
Member
11-12-2003
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 4:26 pm
I like to work outside too. I have had roses for years, as well as gardenias and camellias. I do put in some tomato plants and share the bounty with my neighbors. One of my neighbors was always admiring my Double Delight roses so I gave her two of my bushes. Now I can look out my window and see those two bushes blooming their pretty little heads off. Just found a site for fire safe planting: www.firewise.org Happy planting fellow farmers. LOL Oh, and my cybermom, Whoami, found this beautiful rose clipart as an adoption present for me -- she is so wonderful.

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Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 4:59 pm
Yankee: I ONLY container garden! The seeds are a combo of herbs, veggies, and flowers. I decided that I'll buy fresh seeds and do the bleach thing to start them. I'm in a seed exchange, so I can't wait. I have my 3-oz Dixie cups all labeled and ready to be planted. I have a whole gardening plan, I just have to get moving. And one thing I am doing today is putting in an order at Gurneys. They extended the coupons until the 23rd, so my $50-order will only be $30.
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Lkunkel
Member
10-29-2003
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 6:32 pm
Gurneys order is in for my grapevine, strawberries, Stevia plant, and blueberries. As I said above, I only container garden, so I only need a few of each seed packet. Part of me wonders about the waste, but I figure I can make up seed packets to trade. And, maybe if they are properly stored, I can reuse them next year. My goal is to turn my balcony into a haven for fairies, elves, and me. Planting List Front Porch Area (Facing toward Door is East, but no direct sun) Square Planter (1): Concord Seedless Grape Vine, Purple Iceplant Square Planter (2): Cat's Claw, Purple Iceplant Milkcan Planter: Trailing Rosemary Metal Windowbox (1): Bedraggled plant I felt sorry for Balcony (Stepping out on Balcony is North/Sun) -- Large Planter: Dwarf Peach Tree; 3 Strawberries; 3 Marigolds; 2 Petunias; 2 Ganzanias -- 3 Standard Hanging Pots: Geranium; Fern; Begonia -- 10" Wire Baskets (2): (1): 1 Tomato, Tumbler Hybrid; 1 Basil, Sacred Purple; 1 Rosemary, Trailing; 1 Sage, White; 6 Nasturiums (2): 1 Cat Mint; 1 Lemon-Scented Geranium; 6 Knee-High Sweet Peas; 4 Purple Sweet Alyssum; 4 White Sweet Alyssum; 5 Dianthus, Mixed -- 10" Round Dish (3.5" deep): Clover, Red; Mountain Mint, Narrow Leaf (In center separate area) -- 15" x 8" x 8" Metal Window Box (2): Chamomile, Roman; Balm, Lemon; Majoram, Common; Majoram, Sweet; Motherwort; Mugwort; Oregano, Greek; Parsley, Green River; Thyme, French; Valerian; Vervain -- Michael Graves Planter: Lavender, Lady -- 8 Pocket Strawberry Pot: Strawberries -- Metal Windowbox (2): Stevia Plant -- Blue Ceramic bowl: Tophat Blueberry plant -- Containers still to be determined: (1) Patio Tomato; Bell Pepper, Red; 1 Basil, Sweet; 1 Chive, Garlic Mauve; Scallions; Lettuce, Oak Leaf (2) Garden Witchery Pot 1: rosemary, parsley, sage, chives, bouquet dill, garlic, and basil. (3) Garden Witchery Pot 2: Red geraniums, vinca vine, alyssum, and blue lobelia
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Butrflynet
Member
12-29-2003
| Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 6:46 pm
I love gardening! I too only have a balcony and do container gardening. The worst problem I have is my daily battle with the dispicable slugs. Grrr! Anyone have suggestions for slug-resistant plants for a semi-shady spot in 90+ degree summers?
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Spinner
Member
10-27-2003
| Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 12:18 am
LK, the garden will be beautiful. How big are your containers, about-- the biggest ones?
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Weinermr
Member
08-18-2001
| Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 6:48 am
I have never been very good at gardening - except for roses. I love roses, and long ago taught myself how to care for them. Over the years I've learned a lot by reading, talking to other rose fanciers, and just by taking care of them year after year. I love to plant them, prune them, water them, care for them, and of course watch them grow and thrive, We have several rose bushes and two rose trees in our backyard, and I fuss over them, and won't let anyone else tend them. They're the greatest.
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Biloxibelle
Member
12-21-2001
| Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 8:00 am
SecretSmile, do you mind sharing the set up for your greenhouse using egg cartons and tin pans? We live in the deep south and I am terrible when it comes to gardening. However, we just built a new house on 4 acres and I would love to have some gardens both veggies and flowers. My front garden is going to be tropical as I already have the palms and fountain. But I want to do something in the back. My 13 yo would love to do the greenhouse/seed deal. But I am at loss on how to even start it. Every year he "plants" beans in cups with wet paper towels and they do grow but have never been transplanted. Also I have done tomatoes at the old house and both years they split open before they were ripe. (I envy of Jaggers picture) Would we do the greenhouse indoors or out? The patio is not enclosed but gets the morning sun. I have a garage where I do have some day lilies bulbs that I planted in pots waiting to go outside somewhere but I have no lights on them or anything. It does tend to get cold out there in the morning and at night and will stay cool if I don't open the door.
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Tess
Member
04-13-2001
| Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 11:00 am
You know, I could use some photos of these lovely gardens for my updates. 
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Yankee_in_ca
Member
08-01-2000
| Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 11:13 am
Lkunkel and other container gardeners -- do you ever plant small trees or shrubs in containers? I have some new neighbors on one side who are a little noisy on their deck, and I'd like to plant some tall plants for privacy on that side of my deck. Any advice for drainage, type of container, etc???
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Jagger
Member
08-07-2002
| Sunday, February 22, 2004 - 11:14 am
I just love reading this thread, it's getting my blood pumping, but than I look outside and all I see is snow covering everything. But the snow is a good thing, hopefully it winterized my perrenials and they will come back this spring, I got behind schedule last fall and never mulched any of the stuff so it is a wait and see what comes back this spring.
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