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veggiegardener submitted a new blog post

3 Must-Have Garden Power Tools

Continue reading the Original Blog Post.

 

[marksgirl]

Hi
I am Linda, a new member to the forum and a relatively new gardener.
My zone is 10 - hot (Central Arizona) - it's sometimes hard to know where to plant stuff that it won't get frazzled in the sun!!
I currently have tomatoes (in containers) doing well, Swiss chard (sort of okay), bell peppers (tiny), jalapeno peppers (good)
Any other ideas would be welcome
http://www.simplytyping.biz

 

[Drweb]

Try tomatillos. They are tasty. Use un salsa or just sliced on salad.

 

[NewLife]

You could try Portugese Kale from Renee's Garden Seeds. I'm going to try it on a hot side of my house as it is supposed to withstand heat better than most kale.

 

[Kitty]

I am Kitty, also a new member. I love to grow my vegetables in raised beds. I started out with Square Foot gardening, but found I needed more space for each vegetable, so, I have a raised bed or two for each vegetable. Works out great for me. Would like to talk with other members who also grow in raised beds.

 

[theplotthickens]

Work with the soil you've been given, and improve it by adding organic matter or building up no dig gardens (which are essentially on-the-spot compost bays). All soil types have their advantages and drawbacks. www.theplotthickens.com.au

 

[JimZ]

Sounds like some good prizes!

 

[Phiddy]

Hi I am Phyllis. I live in Ontario, Canada. My zone depending upon where you look is 4B or 5A. Anyway you look at it we have a relatively short growing season. I do primarily vegetable gardening with a few fruit trees. We (my DH and I) have a large garden because we eat fresh all summer and then I either can, freeze or, dehydrate the rest for our use during the winter. I grew up gardening at my Dad's knees but, only in the past 7 years have I become fanatical about organic gardening.

 

[JennieU]

Hi Linda!

I am in AZ as well, (Mesa) so zone 9-10...it is HOT and I am glad to hear that your tomatoes are doing well...ours have about run out...they were in raised beds and our shade cloth went up a bit late....
Impressed to see that you have chard growing now...it is a great fall crop but likes to be shaded in the summer by taller plants so they don't get beat by the sun.
And I also have a hot pepper plant...it is thriving and they pack a lot of heat for tiny peppers!

How long have you been gardening here in the Valley? I would love to share ideas...My husband and I have read a lot of books specific to our area and have joined a gardening club that meets just about every Saturday. It has been helpful since almost every gardening book out there applies to 'other' places...the desert is tricky!

 

[halfcent]

I live in east-central Mass. I'm interested in learning more about herbs - some about how to grow, but more about how to cook with them and use them for other things like toiletries, remedies, cleaning agents, etc. Currently growing rosemary, lavender, thyme, parsley successfully. Sage has failed multiple times, multiple varieties. Basil does OK if I don't put it out too early!

I have two small citrus trees in pots, lemon & lime, which I purchased online last fall. They seem to love being outside now that the weather is warm; the lemon has 2 fruits on it for the first time. Any tips? This is new territory for me.

 

[Charles Cook]

Hi,
I'm Charles, New to the forum and an old time gardener. I live in Georgia 7B I think. It is hot and a drought for some time. I have a medium size garden and a lot of things have gone bye. I still have tomatoes, peppers, cantaloupes and some things in boxes (raised) such as carrots, onions some blackberries. My rhubarb is looking bad with one plant dead on top. I have a few cukes still hanging in there I have had to water some to keep them alive. My squash are long gone - long story!

 

[FishDoc]

Hello, I just joined this forum. I am a retiree and have been an amateur gardener for over 60 years, starting before grade school working in my parent's gardens. I remember growing so many zucchini that I would carry baskets full around the neighborhood trying to sell them. A few old ladies regularly bought them. I now garden in southwest Michigan near Kalamazoo. It has been terribly dry this year, the driest in my memory. Well, say "Hi" sometime.

FishDoc

 

[wearingair]

Hi

I live on the the mid-east coast in a small apartment and I started a small organic garden a few months ago to help my family. I like growing things, it makes me feel closer to God and it is so amazing and makes me feel good to see plant grow from such a small seed. It is also, a great feeling when I can grow something that tastes so much better then the crap (MSG, and GMOs) you buy in the stores and then feed it to my family. Eating organic (as much as I can) has made me feel so much better too, I am like a new person.

Well anyways, nice to meet all of you!

wearingair

 

[erintf]

Howdy ya'll
Yes this forum stuff is all new to me. I just moved her south of Tallahassee, FL actually swamp land. I did try a summer garden and it was a bust. the soil is so hard, I think I will do raised gardens for the fall. I did do some hanging peppers, tomatoes & flowers which did well. I want to get into growing my own herbs so I thought this site would be great to do my learning. Thanks guys!

 

[grdngramma]

I have had really good luck this year with tomatillos, I live in zone 4 but it's been dry and hot so have to do a lot of watering, but these little buggers sure seem to feel right at home, covered with the little pods.

 

[Adrianna]

Hi Phyllis, I am from Calgary originally, now in Pleasant Grove, UT.

I grew up gardening with my mom and she is a pro at growing vegetables in her garden in a zone 4a. Her secret is, as she says, is "to trick the seasons". She starts growing many things indoors as seedlings in the early spring months inside peat pots and then plants them outside in cozy coats and portable greenhouses that she has collected over the years and she gets things such as zucchini and tomatoes as early as June. (before I got anything down here in UT just direct planting!) You'll want to be careful with transplanting--some plants are not as transplant hardy especially as they grow bigger/older. I have found that the plants I transplanted did very well when watered with compost tea right after transplanting. Good luck with extending your season!

 

[Kborland13]

Hi Everyone. I just recently started gardening (Dayton, OH). My zone is between 5-6. I planted Cantaloupe early summer and have tons of blossoms, but still no melon starts. Does anyone know about how long it takes for the melons to begin forming?

I am also growing a dwarf lemon tree. I've had it for several months and it is approximately 20 inches tall. When will lemons grow?! Thanks for all the help and happy gardening!

 

[Chokyi Dawa]

Is it too late to plant a winter garden in NW Oregon?

 

[Tammy]

Now that the contest has ended, when will winners of the varioius prizes be selected?

 

[Tammy]

Is it too late to plant a winter garden in NW Oregon?

since we are in the heat of summer right now, I think it's too early to start planting unless you were doing your own starts indoors. I think the heat will make it hard for some things to germinate and the heat will stress small seedlings. However, I should add that I've never done a winter garden, although this year I plan on trying a few things, but I won't get those started until around Labor Day wknd. I'm in southern oregon though, where we typically have upper 90's and 100's in August. maybe you are in a cooler area of Oregon?