Unfortunately I had to abandon my community garden plot in Minnesota around the end of our growing season.  I got some of the harvest in time, but the rest was left to my roommate.  Here are a few pics from my garden a few weeks before I left:

I planted sunflowers from seed

And had quite a few tomatoes!

This was also the first year ever that I’ve successfully grown cucumbers!

Although I miss my Minnesota garden terribly, I’m very excited to start a new garden here in Oregon.  I’m really happy that I’ll have much more time to spend on something that I love so much.

So far, I’ve only got the plants on my patio.  I’ve purchased one new plant since being here, which is a fun new succulent.  It’s the best looking one in this pic, the others are still looking a bit haggard from the 30 hour drive.

I also have a nice new camera, so I will be posting more photos of the area soon.  I’ll even be able to go outside in January to take pictures, because it won’t be -30 degrees outside!  :)

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This strawberry plant was already in my garden plot from last year.  Lucky me

Here is a picture of my cabbage, cucumber, and beans.

And here are my tiny tomato and pepper plants.

As you can see, vegetable gardening is slow going in Norther Minnesota.  I’ll post more pictures within a few weeks and hopefully the plants will all be much bigger!

As it turns out, certain vegetables will do better or worse depending on what plants are growing around it.  It makes sense when you think about it.  Certain plants take more of different nutrients, or even attract or repel pests.

For instance, basil is a great companion for tomatoes and peppers, as they help improve growth and flavor.  Basil is also known to repel flies and mosquitoes (not particularly beneficial for the plants, but nice for us!)  Another combination that I’m going to try is planting dill and radishes near my cucumbers. Radishes are supposed to repel cucumber beetles, and dill supposedly helps attract “beneficial predators.”  I’m hoping this will work because last year my cukes didn’t fare too well against the pests.

Here are the charts I used from Tinker’s Gardens:

Vegetable Companion Planting Chart

Herb Companion Chart

*Data courtesy of  The Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

After a bit of puzzling, here is the chart I devised for my garden.  (click to see the larger version)

This is my rough draft, and I may end up changing things a bit as I go.  I just put my tomatoes and peppers in the ground on Wednesday, and have also planted some onion sets, lettuce, basil, and bean seeds.  Hopefully our cold weather won’t persist for too long so my plants will finally have good growing conditions!

Here is a before (more like middle) photo of the back yard garden. There actually wasn’t even a garden there at all when we moved in. I had our landlord come over and cut the branches of that pine tree up to about 4 feet so I could put in a nice shade garden.  I framed it and added a bunch of dirt and perennials.  I used hostas and a bleeding heart, both of which are shade lovers.

And here is the after photo of the backyard garden.  Every plant came back this spring, even though I neglected to cover them last fall.  I pulled all the weeds out, added weed liner, and some brown organic mulch.  Viola!  I think they look pretty nice!  It’s just too bad that I won’t be able to live there when they are at their peak.  I guess I’ll just have to be a creeper and drive by to look at them.

It’s so nice that even the simplest outdoor landscaping projects like these can make such a big difference in the look and feel of your yard.  Putting these gardens in was surprisingly easy, but I think that they really added a lot to the house.

Now that it’s finally warming up here, I’m on to finishing my containers and my vegetable garden!  I’ll keep everyone updated!

]]> http://gardencorner.net/?feed=rss2&p=328 0 http://gardencorner.net/?p=272 http://gardencorner.net/?p=272#comments Tue, 19 May 2009 21:27:51 +0000 Jocelyn http://gardencorner.net/?p=272 Last week was my first time at my new community garden plot.  While it’s still a bit too cold to start planting, we went to work installing a new door into the garden and re-installing some fencing.  It felt great to get out in the dirt again.  Looking for a Community Garden Program near you?  Try the ACGA website.

This year will be my second year with the Community Garden program.  Last year I was disappointed when the deer got in not once- but twice, and ate everything in sight.  This year I have a new plot at a new garden, which has a tall fence and is way nicer!  I’m so excited because the soil is wonderful, and the garden is right across the street from where I’m going to be living.

Hopefully my garden will come close to comparing with this one! 

Photo Credit: Cneuman

I learned a lot of lessons last year, and I think this year is going to be much more successful!  I’m going to weed my plot really well this year before I plant anything, and I’m also going to add some organic compost a few weeks before planting.

Because I’m in zone 3, I’m going to wait until early June to plant most of my stuff.  I’ll probably plant onions and potatoes within the next week or so.  I’ve already started my tomatoes and peppers from seed, so hopefully I won’t have to buy any plants this year.  I’m also planning on sowing bush beans, romaine lettuce, spinach, zucchini and basil plants from seed.  I’m also thinking of trying to grow eggplant this year, but I don’t know much about it.  Has anyone grown eggplant before?  If so, let me know if you have any tips for me!

I will try to get some pics of my site up sometime soon.  I don’t have a camera of my own right now:(  Luckily, I have someone who let’s me borrow theirs for the time being, so watch for photos!

There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling.  ~Mirabel Osler

Having been inspired by these people and their lovely photos, I’ve compiled a list of the most beautiful flowers in the world…acccording to me.

Plumeria

Lotus

Poppy

Passionflower

Dahlia

Pink Lady Slipper

Flowers of the Cannonball Tree

Lycoris

Epiphyllum

Trillium

Photo credit: sphilp1225

Peonies

Calla Lilies

Anemones

I could really go on and on with this list.  I also have an affinity for tulips, irises, and orchids, but I guess I have to stop somewhere.

What are your favorites?

I’ve had to upgrade to the newest version of WordPress, which was a bit of a challenge since I’m not super knowledgeable when it comes to managing databases and stuff.

I’m hoping to get the rest of the theme worked out pretty soon, so I may be rearranging things in the days to come.

Thanks to everyone for your continued readership and patience, it’s very appreciated! 

For those of you in colder zones like mine, you’ve probably just recently planted your seeds. I just planted my first couple flats a few weekends ago, and I want to give a few tips on how to make your seed starting successful. First of all, I just want to tell you that I’m not one of those people who create their own specialized soil mixtures. I don’t have that much time or experience- yet. These tips are fast and easy to follow.

The Mixture:

You don’t want to use heavy soil to start seeds in. The tiny roots won’t be able to grow very well, if they’re trying to fight their way through really dense soil. I purchased a bag of organic potting soil, and a bag of perlite. I mixed it about half and half. The soil should crumble easily in your hands, not stick together.

The Temperature:

I always read the seed packets before planting, but I’ve found that the majority of seeds I’ve sown have preferred warm temperatures, usually between 65-75 degrees. If you keep your house much cooler than this, you may want to consider a heating mat to put your flats on. Otherwise, a bright window may do the trick.

The Lighting:

Again, checking the seed packets is important for this. I’ve actually had some seeds that need darkness to germinate, so remember to check out the light preferences. Otherwise, most seedlings prefer bright light. If you’re in an area where you get little bright light, grow lights are definitely a good choice! I haven’t had a space to use grow lights yet, but I may try using one later on this spring.

The Water:

I usually dampen the peat pots with a spray bottle of water before I fill them with dirt. This just prevents them from soaking up all the moisture from the dirt. Once I’ve planted all of the seeds, I give all of them a good misting with the spray bottle again.

Transplanting:

This part can be kind of tricky. Once your little seedlings become established, you need to get them ready for moving outside. It’s important to harden off your seedlings before leaving them out for good. Start bringing them outside when the weather is fairly mild for an hour or so per day. Over the course of about two weeks, gradually increase the amount of time they spend outside, including breezy or rainy days.

The day you actually transplant your seedlings outside should be slightly overcast, or lightly rainy. This will help ease the shock for your little plant.

Remember:

While these tips make seed starting sound so easy, I know sometimes there are seedlings that don’t seem to grow like they should. I’ve killed about the same amount of seedlings as I’ve been successful with. So don’t get discouraged if some of your seedlings die; it’s part of the learning experience!

I want to hear from you!

So, I want to hear from you. What is your seedling story? What seeds are you starting this year? I’d love to hear more about what everyone is doing this spring!

April showers bring May flowers!

Photo credit: sa_ku_ra

Veggies

• Sweet Orange Peppers *
• Green Peppers *
• Early Girl Hybrid Tomatoes *

Herbs

• Lavender
• Basil
• Lemon Balm *

Annuals

• Impatiens
• Violas
• Snapdragons
• Pansies
• Cleome *
• Marigolds

These seeds are taking up 2 large flats that I’ve left with my parents. They get a lot more sunlight at their house, and that way I can pick them up once I’ve moved into my new place. All of the ones with a * indicate new seeds that I’ve never grown before.

Also, I’m on the list for a 20×20 foot plot at one of the Community Garden sites this summer! I’m going to be planting lettuce, onions, green and yellow beans, along with the seeds I’ve already started. I’m totally pumped for this.

My perennial plan for the new yard is on hold for now, as I really don’t know what kind of light the house gets. I will probably start working on that shortly after moving in.

I’m very excited because we’ve signed a lease to rent a big house starting on June 1^st, and the landlord is going to let me do all the gardening I want! He also said he will pay for any perennials or supplies that I want to buy. I’m going to be drawing up a garden plan within the next few months. I’m going to keep it simple since I’m sure he doesn’t want to be spending hundreds of dollars on my springtime projects.

As for right now, I’m trying not to get too ahead of myself. I’ve made a list of plants, including fruits and veggies that I want to grow, along with different color combinations to try out. I’m still planning on doing a few containers of annuals, and I’m also thinking of renting a plot at the community garden for my fruits and veggies.

I checked out the Minnesota Gardener’s Guide: Revised Edition book from the library to help me with my plan. Once I’ve gone through the book, I will have a better idea of what I’m going to do. I’ll keep everyone posted about my ideas!

Thanks, and happy gardening!