Green thumbs unite and share your gardening tips

[Stephanie]

Hey there everyone!

Whether it’s Spring or Autumn in your part of the world, there is always something that needs doing in the garden! We often see comments here in the CC about work you are doing outside, whether it’s getting rid of weeds, planting new flowers, mowing the lawn…the list continues! Here in the UK, I'm planning on potting out the patio peach tree to a more permenant home in the garden, now we've hopefully see the last of the cold snaps.

What are you working on in your garden at the moment? Have you got any gardening tips you’d like to share? Have you ever grown anything used to prepare a dish for your Guests?

I look forward to reading your comments, please share photos if you can too! 

Stephanie

[Stephanie]

@Huma @Helen @Ann @Cintia 

I know this thread is something you'd be interested in! Here's a snap from a few roads away from my humble abode:

Thanks

[Mark116]

@Stephanie   We grow a number of herbs in pots in the front of the house--rosemary, thyme, sage, basil and mint--and tell guests in the summer to help themselves if they want to use for cooking.  But, almost no one ever does this.

[Stephanie]

@Mark116 aww that's both wonderful and a pity (pity guests aren't cooking with them.)

I've only ever had success with mint, however the dog devoured it. It's the best time for us to sow herbs here in England! Do you plan to expand your herb garden, or even branch into other edible items? 

Thanks and sorry for the pun.

[Mark116]

@Stephanie  We already are growing more flowers than we really have room for, LOL, the front garden is really small, but gets full sun, so we have perennials: roses, hostas, iris, day lily, coreopsis, hyacyth, tulips, mums, 2 boxwoods, bee balm, mint and coneflowers as well as annuals.  Ha. Very full and English gardenish.  The back yard is very shady so mostly shrubs and hostas and shade annuals.

[Stephanie]

@Mark116 

Sounds smashing, fancy sharing some pics?

Thanks

[Stephanie]

All the blossoms fallen off and I've got fruit sprouting! What produce do we have on the way in the CC?

[Helen427]

Organic Persimmons

Organic Persimmons from kind neighbours 70 year plus old Persimmon tree - hope this counts @Stephanie @Lizzie@Quincey

[Stephanie]

Hey @Helen427 

Did you know we call them Sharon Fruit in England? They look delish, well done Helen's neibhours! 

[Helen427]

Hi @Stephanie @Linda1213 @Donna240 @Mark116@Linda1213

No Stephanie I never knew that about Persimmons been called Sharon Fuit, so looked online to read all about those linkages to Israel.

They are scummy on there own, or sliced on toast, or with salads..

Has anyone ever made jam with them?

They pair well with Raw Sugar & fresh Ginger.

Persimmons/ Sharon Fruit are a little bit like the Avocado history & different names they are called as discussed on CC.

Unfortunately Avocados are off the menu at the mooment as they are out of season & they've gone up over $5 each.

Avocados

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Avocados/m-p/821736#M198230

[Stephanie]

@Helen427 

Avocados are well sort after. I spent some time in Stockholm last year and they worked out to be about £4 each or 7.3 Aud. Ah, but you have to have your avocado on toast, eh? 

I thought it uncanny that when the hubbie and I were doing our food shop yesteday, the supermarket had none of than these in stock, though they hardly compare to fresh off your neibhours tree!

[Helen427]

Winter coat Monarch Caterpillar, Persimmon fruit with Blue ladybird

@Stephanie @Mark116 

I have delightful Monarch caterpillars growing there winter coat before they turn into a chrysalis in my garden:. The Organic Persimmon with Blue ladybird is from a kind neighbour's 70 year old plus Persimmon tree in their garden - which they let me have & is much appreciated

[Stephanie]

Now's a good a time as any to reveal my biggest fear is... caterpillars. :'(

[Donna240]

@Stephanie I've spent days planting dahlias, so the summer garden will benefit not only us, but our guests. My trick this year is to grow them in pots, then transfer them to permanent beds after they have started leafing out. The first batch I grew rotted in the ground because I didn't know that they should not be watered after their initial planting until the leaves pop up, so this method makes it easier to achieve success. Once they start filling in I'll add ranunculus, zinnias, coneflowers and Oriental lilies. I'd love to share photos, but your system had changed and is not very intuative, so I can't post them.

Anyone care to explain how an image is posted now?

This year I also decided to give up 2 raised vegetable beds to devote more space to a cutting  garden, but I'll still grow tomatoes and lettuce, artichokes and fava. Interestingly enough, the best tip I have was found in a British gardening magazine. Since tomatoes need deep watering, they suggested cutting off the bottom of a plastic water bottle, unscrewing the cap and digging a long hole adjacent to the long tap root. Then put the bottle neck upside down into the hole, burying at least half of it. This allows you to deep water each tomato plant without splashing mud onto the leaves, which could cause several fungal diseases to attack your tomato and limit the life of the plant as well as your season for growing tomatoes. Using bark chips under tomato plants will also help to avoid soil born fungal diseases. Adding fertilizer is easy since you can just add it to the upside down pottle and fill with water from the garden hose.  

Speaking of lettuce, I was in chicago a few weeks ago and the city really puts on flower displays in Spring. I kept photographing flower beds and boxes and noticed that the city gardeners were filling in planter boxes of flowers with several vegetables, including Lollo Rosso lettuce and Belgian endive. It looked amazing. Unfortunately I can't post that photo either.

[Donna240]

I'm cutting back the Japanese Wisteria for a sunny spot to plant dahlias.A daisy like dahlia with chocolate cosmosDark leaf dahlia against a colorful flax plantDecorative dahliaMy garden oasis.Chicago Flower SaladLettuce in the MixChicago Floral Inspiration