Urban Gardening and Landscaping

[Roanoker]

I seem to remember that two cherry trees are needed in order to cross pollinate. Also birds just love cherries.

That's absolutely correct. My mother grew up on a farm of sorts in Iron County, MO (born in 1902). When she moved to Kansas City with my dad and two brothers in 1939, she tended two cherry trees in our back yard. She made pies with the cherries she picked from those trees--and they were superb! She also made preserves. I remember how beautiful the blossoms were in the spring. However, she battled birds all the time because they ruined the cherries. I don't remember if it helped, but she tied shiny pie tins all over the trees to scare them off.

[warwickland]

That's absolutely correct. My mother grew up on a farm of sorts in Iron County, MO (born in 1902).

I spend a lot of time in that area. My grandmother is from near the Madison, Bollinger county line just to the east, she was born in 1916 also on a farm (of sorts) on the edge of the St. Francois Mtns. Interesting that they moved all the way over to KC, but by that time St. Louis was not handling the depression nearly as well as KC, even though I think St. Louis took many more rural transplants from that particular area.

[ChandraNH]

Time to bump this topic.  It's getting to be that time of year, when fingers itch to feel soil and your mouth waters at the thought of tasting a home grown tomato.  Our cantaloupe plant did incredible last year.  The best cantaloupe we've ever tasted (and growing your own helps you figure out what is ripe at the grocery store).

I'm planning to grow from seed this year and have gotten my plants started in a spare upstairs bedroom.  I ordered plenty of seeds from Johnny's Selected Seeds and have shared with three neighbors as well.

Here's what I've planted so far:


Little Leaf American Pickling Cucumbers
Adam Gherkin European Pickling Cucumbers
Orion Fennel
Sarah's Choice Hybrid cantaloupe
San Juan Ananas Melon (cantaloupe)
Edonis French Charentais melon (cantaloupe)
Lipstick mini sweet red peppers
Romanian sweet red peppers
Padron mini hot peppers
Hungarian hot wax peppers
Sapho tomatoes (indeterminate)
Moskvich tomatoes, heirloom
Granadero tomatoes (indeterminate, good for sauce/salsa)
Oregano
Artichokes

What I'll sow directly into the soil later:
Basil
Dill
Carrots

What are your gardens growing this year?

[Joe Smith]

Never tried growing veggies, but it's probably just as well seeing as I have all sorts of wild animals that come into my yard.

I'm thinking of pulling out some of my roses and planting some butterfly plants.

Your stuff sounds great. Would love to see some pics once the season gets going.

[mlind]

What about beefsteak tomatoes?  My favorite.

[chingon]

I have 20-30 diferent kinds of native grasses, sedges, wildflowers and plants in my front yard.

[loftguy]

We're heavy on herbs and potted outdoor flowers.  Try every year to get tomatoes, cukes and squashes to emerge, but we've got such a shady canopy that they just don't thrive.
Our various peppers seem to flourish, though. 

I basically just garden so that I can get my hate out on that part of the plant and animal kingdom that is set on raiding my foodstock.  Already practicing squirrel curses.

[mlind]

You can always grow zucchini.  The plants produce so heavily that your neighbors don't answer the door when they see you coming.

[AJoD]

We grew san marzano tomatoes last year that produced with surprising abundance. Made me wonder if their prolific properties are why they get so heavily promoted. I'll probably do it again if I can find one (from Family Tree, not from seed).

[mlind]

There are tomatoes that grow well in cool & foggy SF.  Stupice & Gold Nugget. Cherry tomatoes seem to grow anywhere.

[ChandraNH]

Two years ago we grew grape tomatoes.  they were abundant as well.  So much so that I won't grow them again because it got to be a pain going out to pick small tomatoes every single day.

My dwarf citrus trees arrived yesterday and I got them into pots today.  I'm excited!

[mlind]

Two years ago we grew grape tomatoes.  they were abundant as well.  So much so that I won't grow them again because it got to be a pain going out to pick small tomatoes every single day.

My dwarf citrus trees arrived yesterday and I got them into pots today.  I'm excited!

If you got lemons, remember they need iron.

[ChandraNH]

If you got lemons, remember they need iron.

Thanks, I needed that information.  I ordered the following 2-3 year old dwarf plants:

meyer lemon
variegated pink lemon
Palestine sweet lime
bouquet de fleurs sour orange

I also picked up a couple of raspberry and blackberry bushes.

I'm sure I'm going overboard, but we don't use the backyard for much of anything and the husband hates cutting the grass so I may as well grow stuff

[KCMax]

Mmmm, cantaloupe sounds like a great idea.

[mlind]

Meyer lemons are great.  Not as sour as 'regular' lemons.  Popular in CA and the produce like crazy. 

I don't know what they are called, but in Mexico there are these really small limes that are really good.

[MidtownGrrl]

Lipstick mini sweet red peppers

What are your gardens growing this year?

Oooh, I've been looking for a source for lipstick pepper seeds.  You don't happen to know if they are available locally?

I've planted several types of tomatoes and Asian eggplants. May be starting some more seeds tonight if we have the time.  We have broccoli started and three kinds of potatoes in the ground.

[ChandraNH]

@KCMax - the cantaloupe were ridiculously easy to grow.  Last year was our first time growing them and with very little effort we got about 8 3-5 pound Super Star melons.  they just slipped from the vine easily when they were ripe and boy did they smell incredible.

@MidtownGrrl.  I didn't get mine locally, I got organic seeds from here  http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-5567-lipstick-og.aspx .

[shinatoo]

Maybe I should post under "ex-urban gardening" but this is a least urban style.

Our square foot garden that we put in today. This is the start, needs to be about twice this size to support a family of four.


Tore up the sod, worst part.


Boxes are in and filled with dirt.


Rock border in place and early veg is planted. Everything was started inside about 2 weeks ago.


Tomatoes will go along the wall in back.

[ChandraNH]

Shinatoo, very nice.  I may steal your rock border idea, it looks great. 

I'd planned on having my husband build 2-3 3x6 beds, but he fractured his clavicle playing hockey last week and has to have surgery tomorrow to help repair it, so I'm either going to buy premade raised beds or buy the end brackets that you just slip wood into.  Have to get going soon as my 2 yards of garden soil will be delivered Sunday (two sets of neighbors and I are splitting 6.5 yards).

I checked my seedlings and they are doing great. 

It's times like these when I regret not having kids with whom to share the magic of life.  It's amazing just seeing the daily changes and watching how the plants seek out the light/sun, turning and twisting toward it.

[shinatoo]

Can you drive a nail or a screw? If so you can build a bed. Home depot will cut the boards for you. Buy a couple of corner brackets in the decking department and you're off.

You can doooo iiiiit!

That's a yard of dirt with four bags of peet BTW.