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Old 02-08-2020, 02:34 PM   #11
Engel
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Default Re: Any Gardeners here?

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Originally Posted by sushi_78 View Post
Do you think that would work for cats? Ever since our own cat died a few years ago, there have been a succession of cats coming into our garden and digging it up. I mean, I like cats, but I don't want my plants dug up.
Cats hate citrus and onions and garlic are toxic so they avoid them like the plague. So in theory yes, it should deter them.
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Old 02-08-2020, 03:03 PM   #12
sushi_78
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Default Re: Any Gardeners here?

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Quite a few things can be planted in containers to be honest. Now what you grow depends on what you eat. Also look up companion planting as this will help you grow more in a limited space. For example, growing carrots can take a few months so that's a lot of relatively empty space. So you can plant lettuce as they quickly mature and are shallow rooted. Another example is again planting carrots and planting peas or beans on top. Peas and beans release a lot of nitrogen into the soil which carrots LOVE. When the pea plant starts to die off, just cut the stem just above the surface of the ground rather than pull the whole plant out. The roots store a lot nitrogen too so it'll release it back into the soil.

Right here's my list of things to grow. Keep in mind I do all mine from seed. You can use bulbs or buy starter plants if you wish! Any in bold will be new for this year. Any in italics will be what I have grown before but not going to this year. I'll add the variety name if there's a specific one that I recommend although its entirely up to you!

Basil
Beetroot - Boltardy
Broccoli *
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage *
Carrot - 'nantes'
Cauliflower - variety 'Cheesy' F1 *
Celery
Coriander
Cucumber - 'Carmen' (indoor variety), 'Mini munch' and
'Marketmore' (outdoor variety)
Dill
Fennel
Kale*
Leek
Lettuce- 'Little Gem', 'Webbs Wonderful' and 'All the year round'
Onions - (Spring or bunching onions) 'White Lisbon',
(Red) - 'Red Baron' and 'Red Brunswick'
(White) - 'Sturon' and 'Ailsa Craig'
Parsley
Parsnip - 'Gladiator' and 'White Gem'
Pepper - 'California wonder' and 'Gourmet'
Potato - normally do second early varieties
Pumpkin*
Radish - 'French Breakfast'
Spinach
Strawberry
Swede*
Sweetcorn
Thyme
Tomato - 'Money maker' and 'Alicante'

I've put a * next to the ones which I recommend NOT to plant in pots which is hardly any to be honest In theory you could plant cabbages in pots but they'd probably come up small
Thanks so much for this. I forgot about strawberries, I'll think I want to grow those.

I looked into growing loofah a while ago. Loofah chews from pet shops are so overpriced, but my pets do like them. I think I might revisit that idea.
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Old 02-08-2020, 03:16 PM   #13
Engel
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Default Re: Any Gardeners here?

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Thanks so much for this. I forgot about strawberries, I'll think I want to grow those.

I looked into growing loofah a while ago. Loofah chews from pet shops are so overpriced, but my pets do like them. I think I might revisit that idea.
I got starter plants for my strawberries as I could never get them to grow from seed only buy a few plants though as every year they'll grow this 'arm' which you can bury into the soil and create another plant called daughter plants. I bought 3 5yrs ago they quickly became 11. Unfortunately a family member put a load of soil on top of them beginning of last year and killed them all so I got 3 more last spring and I need to plant them into bigger pots as I think they've all got at least 2 daughter plants on them. Now you can cut these off if you don't want anymore but who'd do that?!

Is loofah easy to grow? to be honest I have never thought of that so I might have a little look as I may give it a go too. Although it depends how much space it takes up as well...ill be rather busy this year...and that's just food stuffs
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Old 02-08-2020, 03:18 PM   #14
Ria P
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Default Re: Any Gardeners here?

I'd love a smaller garden but have to make do with the one i've got and grow whatever happens to grow. I buy random plants in boot sales and flea markets then wait and see what happens. Sometimes nothing and other times things appear that i can't remember planting.
One year i planted begonia bulbs but they didn't sprout or whatever you call it so a wise, old gardener who comes in for coffee checked the baskets and informed me that i had planted them upside down......
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Old 02-08-2020, 03:30 PM   #15
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Default Re: Any Gardeners here?

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I'd love a smaller garden but have to make do with the one i've got and grow whatever happens to grow. I buy random plants in boot sales and flea markets then wait and see what happens. Sometimes nothing and other times things appear that i can't remember planting.
One year i planted begonia bulbs but they didn't sprout or whatever you call it so a wise, old gardener who comes in for coffee checked the baskets and informed me that i had planted them upside down......
Sorry Ria but that did make me chuckle! I planted some bulbs last year and they didn't grow. I didn't get around to emptying out the pots but I went up to the greenhouse a couple of days ago and it'd appear they've grown...don't know what they are though!

Do you only grow flowers or have you tried growing foody bits as well?
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Old 02-08-2020, 03:50 PM   #16
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Default Re: Any Gardeners here?

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Is loofah easy to grow? to be honest I have never thought of that so I might have a little look as I may give it a go too. Although it depends how much space it takes up as well...ill be rather busy this year...and that's just food stuffs
Apparently it's grown the same way as cucumber, and would take up the same amount of space I assume.
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Old 02-08-2020, 04:15 PM   #17
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Default Re: Any Gardeners here?

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Apparently it's grown the same way as cucumber, and would take up the same amount of space I assume.
Just had a little look. It does appear to grow the same as cucs and the plants seem to grow roughly the same length. Similar to courgettes too. May give it a go if I can find seeds for it. Never seen any seeds for loofah, but then again, I haven't been looking either.

Hoping to start composting this year so if anyone knows anything about that feel free to share. Also got to manure the veggie patch sometime this upcoming week so that'll be fun
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Old 02-08-2020, 05:24 PM   #18
Ria P
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Default Re: Any Gardeners here?

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Hoping to start composting this year so if anyone knows anything about that feel free to share. Also got to manure the veggie patch sometime this upcoming week so that'll be fun
That's easy. Get a composter or allocate a space for a compost heap and chuck peelings in it then get a garden fork and turn it over now and again. Takes about a year to get some decent compost. I haven't bought any commercial compost in years and don't use any kind of chemicals in my garden either.

Pears and hazelnuts grow in my garden anyway. I also grow herbs and have grown runner beans, cucumber, radishes, lettuce and pumpkins that looked like UFOs in the past.

I'm not really into flowers much and prefer architectural type of plants like yuccas and other spikey ones but saying that, i poked myself in the eye once moving one and had to see the Gp so i wear protective glasses now when gardening.

What's a loofah? Only loofah i know is the one to scrub my back with.

My Syrian loves dandelion leaf and flower, glover, daisies and herbs like basil and parsley. They are all munching on my stash of homegrown hazelnuts. I have to slightly crack them though. First time i gave Syrian Henry a hazelnut he showed a lot of interest but couldn't crack it open and ended up playing pawball with it.

Are all hamsters so de-skilled? Does anyone have a hamster who is able to crack a nut open?
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Old 02-08-2020, 07:14 PM   #19
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Default Re: Any Gardeners here?

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Where are you planting your toms? If planting outside have you tried a bit of foil on string by the crops,?

What's happened with your cucs? Do they just not grow? Indoor or outdoor variety?

if you plant things by onions, garlic or anything citrus (like lemon grass), because of the strong smell, a lot of animals won't go near it. Natural deterrent
I grow everything outside, I live on a hill in Oklahoma "Where the wind comes sweeping down the plains" isn't just a line in a song. Our garden is in steps on a retaining wall so even though I'm planting in the ground it may as well be containers.

I have tied silver curling ribbon to my tomato cages but they may not have been large enough to reflect enough light. My cucs start to shrivel before I think they are large enough. I haven't tried the past two years... Is there something I can plant this year to prep soil for them next year?

I have done onion in pots, was afraid to put them in the ground because they reseed so easily, in our wind you wind up with a lawn full of onion. I will try garlic or lemon grass. I have also put marigold and/or radish in the garden to keep beetles away from squash, radish worked better but not well. I've given up on those as well.
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Old 02-09-2020, 06:33 AM   #20
Engel
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Default Re: Any Gardeners here?

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That's easy. Get a composter or allocate a space for a compost heap and chuck peelings in it then get a garden fork and turn it over now and again. Takes about a year to get some decent compost. I haven't bought any commercial compost in years and don't use any kind of chemicals in my garden either.

Pears and hazelnuts grow in my garden anyway. I also grow herbs and have grown runner beans, cucumber, radishes, lettuce and pumpkins that looked like UFOs in the past.

I'm not really into flowers much and prefer architectural type of plants like yuccas and other spikey ones but saying that, i poked myself in the eye once moving one and had to see the Gp so i wear protective glasses now when gardening.

What's a loofah? Only loofah i know is the one to scrub my back with.

My Syrian loves dandelion leaf and flower, glover, daisies and herbs like basil and parsley. They are all munching on my stash of homegrown hazelnuts. I have to slightly crack them though. First time i gave Syrian Henry a hazelnut he showed a lot of interest but couldn't crack it open and ended up playing pawball with it.

Are all hamsters so de-skilled? Does anyone have a hamster who is able to crack a nut open?
I guess my worry is having the compost pile too wet and drawing in maggots. Maybe I'm overthinking it, getting enough slow decomposing in with the faster stuff. I read that it takes roughly a year, not a fast process but that's ok. Got plenty of organic matter to put in there!

I had a yucca in my garden...sliced someone's arm pretty bad. After that we dug it up (more for my nieces sake) but it we obviously didn't get all the root as every year several baby plants appear. Got some cabbage palms, feels like we're abroad haha. Got a red spikey yucca type thing too. Got some snowdrops, rhododendrons, Azaleas, hydrangeas, honeysuckle which smells beautiful when in full bloom. Acer is a nice touch on the patio. It's pot bound as it's a tree really but is quite Oriental looking and I think the leaves are edible too.

To be honest flower wise everything really takes care of itself. Pruning when needed and most of its in the ground and rarely needs watering. When everything is out it's like a secret garden, attracts an abundance of wildlife.

Loofah is exactly what you use to scrub your back. Essentially a sponge. Also doubles up as a chew for rodents if you leave it to fully mature and harden. Or you can eat it while it's still young. Not sure how tasty it is. I get through a lot of sponges when cleaning as well as chews for the hams. I wonder if it's safe for dogs? (I have 3).

My Syrians love a dandelion salad mix. Was going to try them with chamomile and cornflower this year. My robo Niko just ignores it and walks through it. I gave mine pistachios and they had a great time. Now they were already open so I guess that helps. Also monkey nuts...Athena is clueless, have to open it slightly first. They'll get the hang of it eventually I guess
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