Green Things: Gardening Thread

[newsmanfan]

Anyone else here into growies? Anything from container gardens, fairy gardens, to backyard gardens or big plots. Spring has sprung (which in Wisconsin means 40 degree days but with 28 degree windchill still), soon crocuses and irises will be poking their heads up, and in a month it might actually be warm enough to start plants outdoors!

We have a three-tier plant shelf with lights, warming mats, etc, so this past weekend we started this year's pepper and tomato seeds in a mini greenhouse tray. Doing lots more flowers this year, including 3 types of sunflower and a lot of things for bees and pollinators. We have two 26'x20' plots at a local community garden, and we have worked the last two summers installing raised beds, introducing worms and worm compost, and improving the soil. Last summer we found several toads and wood frogs visiting our plots, as well as some mason and bumble bees! Doing what we can while living in a small apartment.

If you enjoy planting and growing things, and reaping the fruits of your hard labor in the form of tasty veggies or just pretty flowers, feel free to join in here.

 

[Misskermie]

I've never really gotten into gardening before, but I really wanted to try and grow flowers in my windowsill. I had this pack of petunias (I think) that I bought last year but never planted. I planted them in a pot left over from my holiday crafts, and after about a week they started growing tall. I was super excited because I was worried that I was one of those people who killed plants by looking at them lol. I wanted to get more seeds. Dollar Tree has thing 4 for $1 thing on seeds so I was like "What the heck" and I bought an excessive amount. I ended up with 2 variety packs, a pack of "Morning Glory" flowers, and a pack of radishes. I also got one of those $1 packs of fertilizer sticks. I had some leftover cups from Valentine's day (You know those plastic party cups that come in a pack of 4 for 98 cents at Walmart?) so I planted everything in those.

Its been about 2 or 3 weeks since planting them all and they've all grown quite a bit. The "Morning Glory" flowers haven't started growing at all, but the variety flowers have sprouted, and the radishes have gotten really tall (And they probably have to be moved outside soon unless I can get away with growing them indoors).No flowers or full grown vegetables to report yet, but I'm excited for when it happens!

I've been reading some stuff about what you can water your plants with as an alternative to water (This started because I had leftover tea in a pot, and I didn't want to waste it.). Apparently you can water plants with tea and coffee, you can sprinkle them with just a bit of sugar (But not too much,because plants produce their own glucose or something), you can spread tea leaves around them, and you can put coffee grounds on them as well. It helps growth a lot when accompanied by the usual water and sunshine!

Basically, even though I'm avoiding the outside like the plague, I am absolutely in love with growing these things in my window.

 

[newsmanfan]

Its been about 2 or 3 weeks since planting them all and they've all grown quite a bit. The "Morning Glory" flowers haven't started growing at all, but the variety flowers have sprouted, and the radishes have gotten really tall (And they probably have to be moved outside soon unless I can get away with growing them indoors).No flowers or full grown vegetables to report yet, but I'm excited for when it happens!

I've been reading some stuff about what you can water your plants with as an alternative to water (This started because I had leftover tea in a pot, and I didn't want to waste it.). Apparently you can water plants with tea and coffee, you can sprinkle them with just a bit of sugar (But not too much,because plants produce their own glucose or something), you can spread tea leaves around them, and you can put coffee grounds on them as well. It helps growth a lot when accompanied by the usual water and sunshine!

Morning glories do better if you nick the seeds a tiny bit with a sharp knife, then soak them overnight in water or weak chamomile tea (room temp, not hot). We're growing blue morning glories and moonflowers this year too. I'm a big fan of moonflowers, which only bloom at night, and which can attract luna moths.

Most plants like the tannins in tea and coffee grounds. We keep several fish aquariums, and use the fishy water from the weekly water changes on those to water plants (good nitrates and nitrites). Yaay for your indoor plantses!

 

[fuzzygobo]

In 2000, the year we got married, my wife and I planted sunflowers. From a packet of dollar store seeds, we planted them and waited to see what happened.
The sunflowers thrived in our little 6x6 foot patch of dirt. Over the summer they grew so fast it was amazing. The plot faced East so they got full exposure of the sun. By the end of summer, they were a good 15 feet high. The stems were as thick as trees, and the flowers were absolutely gorgeous. These things were strong enough to withstand several thunderstorms.
Just before Thanksgiving, I cut them down, and we had enough sunflower seeds to last all winter.
I never planted anything again, but for a season, those flowers were a joy to watch them grow.

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

I don't have much of a green thumb, and I think my mom wants to, but neither of us have had the patience to maintain a garden. Hopefully, that'll change this Spring. We're working extra hard to keep our lawn groomed, and we're gonna grow some tomato and pepper plants. I want to grow a bunch of flowers to help bees, and all that.