How exciting frogponder. I have never had a water garden and actually haven't done much planting for fun. Until this house. Years ago we raised vegetables for canning, but I didn't consider that fun. We also had no shade at our previous house which kept me indoors more. Here the shade allows me to venture outside lots!

I have seen the upside down planters, but no experience with them. Hat Trick good luck moving the mulch. We just did that.

Just wanted to bring back what's left of the Garden Club.

We've been crazy fools in the garden the last few weeks.
24 new plants planted in a front garden under a large oak tree.
Created a whole new bed in the side/rear yard. I know there are about 10 3 gallon plants, a trellis, and 8 or so 1 gallon plants put in here. This includes a papaya plant and a banana. Wish us luck in the fruit. There's an established grapefruit tree with wonderful pink grapefruit that was already in this area.

This weekend, DH and son cut down a LARGE lemon tree that had reverted to the root stock and was producing one puny branch of lemons and 100's of inedible sour oranges. It was also shading the grapefruit tree so it was barely producing. Looking forward to lots of grapefruit this winter.

Then during the week this week, DH added a small garden off the patio with an arbor and 10 plants and a small self-contained fountain. Today DH and DS extended the patio about 2-3 feet with stone and gravel. Very nice. We sat out and enjoyed it this afternoon.

Ah .. good timing.

I have 3 tomato plants going well. Blooming like crazy and I think I'll get a good harvest. I want to put in a couple of red bell pepper plants ... I think next week.

The basil is growing like crazy and I think I'll have enough for a double batch of pesto soon. The lemon thyme is also growing well. I had to cut back the rosemary before it overtook the front door!

Unfortunately the cucumber plant died - that's the problem with the plants in pots rather than in the small ground patch I Have. The pots dry out much faster and when I'm working a lot, they don't get watered regularly. OTOH, we are in a drought here and I feel a bit guilty watering potted plants, so maybe it's all for the best.

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photochick...i too am in a drought area...do what i do. Every time i take a shower, I collect the water in a container prior to the water getting warm. Your shower may not be like mine, but mine takes a few moments to get hot. So until it does, I collect the water (that would be going to the sewer) and then use it to water my plants. We are on water restriction and can only water 3 days a week. So far this planting season, I have only used the hose once to water my plants since i've been collecting the water from the shower. I feel a bit better about doing my part for the enviroment. Also the other thought is to look into a rain barrel for the days it does rain. I pretty much get to water my garden every day thanks to my shower (DH usually showers daily and i have even gotten him in on it).

We've been restricted to ONE day a week for a few years now. Three days a week seems like a luxury. However, we can hand water a garden or newly planted area.

Sounds like everyone is doing great. My roses are blooming. I found out there is an annual rose show here and this year they had to cancel because it hasn't been nice enough for the flowers to bloom. Hopefully we'll see some sun warming here soon. I doubt I'll be able to do a 3 sisters garden but I would atleast like to get a small veggie patch going.

WEbrover...we are actually restricted to hand watering only 3 days a week. No sprinklers at any time and no hand watering on any other day but tues, thurs, and sund from the hr of 7-9 am (i think...i know its very early am).

just went out and watered my garden. Man my plants sprouted overnight. The squash grew 2 fold and there are a few small flower buds starting. The tomatos are almost at the right size...now they just have to change colors. I have a small jalapeno pepper starting...and my cuke plant went crazy overnight...woohooo...maybe in 2-3 more weeks and i'll be eating fresh veggies from my garden.

Hello All-

Out here inWestern, WA where people are starting to call this month Juneuary because of temps consistently, at least, 10 degrees below normal, a lot of us are getting a slow start on the gardens. We just bought our home last June so are really just getting going with a garden.

I like the water saving ideas i read in Gatorgal's post a whole lot. I have a feeling that water conservation is going to become more and more the norm all over...which isn't such a bad thing. Before moving out here to the Evergreen state i had the idea that this place got so much more rain than so many other places. Now i know that it just looks like it's about to rain so much more than so many other places . When it finally warms up it will dry up and all sorts of things that don't get watered turn brown. That blew me away our first summer here.

In my past life back in St. Louis i got the beds in the front yard and did flowers and my husband did veggies in the back. However, because of these new and healthy eating habits i'm developing i may need to add some veggies to the patch he's getting going. He likes tomatoes, peppers and herbs, which are all good. I'd like to grow some lettuce and maybe zuchini or cukes. so we'll see. Our soil is full of rocks so any gardening will require lots of bags of soil. I appreciate the theme of patience that i hear mixed in with the extreme enthusiasm. As a result of my commitment to drop unhealthy lbs and pick up healthy eating and exercise habits i'm discovering a real enjoyment of veggies for munching. I really would love to grow some lettuce. Any suggestions on what might be easiest as far as green leafys go?

Most green leafy stuff is super easy to grow but does NOT tolerate heat well. Lettuce and spinach of all kinds will "bolt" (grow fast and leggy and long) if exposed to lots of high heat, and then it gets bitter. Grow it to it's baby size and continually reseed, and you'll have lots of fresh, tender greens, though.

I am thinking about putting in lettuce as a border around my front bed - it gets partial morning sun and won't burn like the back ... and I can keep reseeding all through the late fall.

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Wow - That is restricted. No sprinklers at any time! People who work shifts could never be home when it's time to water.

Ok Photochick i'm embarassed at my ignorance, but how do you reseed lettuce?

thanks

What a great post. Thanks to the person who started it!

I love gardening. I have a small, postage stamp size back yard now, but I was raised on a farm. We make do with what we have. I planted 8 tomatoe plants this year. 3 cherry tomatoes for dipping and salads and 5 large ones. Those along with some summer squash and zucchini will go a long way. And Herbs. This is my first year to plant herbs. Those I put in pots. My tomatoes are still just blooming, but look healthy, as do the others. Looking forward to my first ripe juicy tomato.

I just got back from taking my DD to her Dad's for the summer and HOLY MOLY do I have roses now. I work graves for the next 4 nights, then I think I may be able to start my veggie garden. We were just advised night before last to cover our veggies in case of frost over night. Hopefully, in 2 weeks I'll be safe. Good to hear from everyone.