Gardeners: how's it looking?

[Parasaurolophus]

Things are growing, but I'm not confident I recognize anything apart from the potatoes and carrots. Pretty sure There's kale, peppers, squash, and a few sunflowers, but they're still fairly small and I'm not sure which is which (though I think I have a good guess about the kale and peppers).

The real problem is that it's also full of weeds, and it's hard to tell the weeds from the unfamiliar veg leaves.

[mamselle]

Editing a garden can be tough sometimes.

M.

[archaeo42]

Green beans are coming in. Potatoes are growing. I also have some dill and parsley in pots.

The dill I started has completely wilted. I'm wondering if it's worth starting over.

[Thursday's_Child]

Please weed your gardens!  Studies have shown that most weeds are serious competitors - far better at acquiring the necessary nutrients than our wimpy, coddled, domesticated crops.  This means that not only do your crops under-produce, but the weeds get a chance to dump lots more of their seeds into the seed bank in the soil, thus guaranteeing you much annoyance for many future years.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Green beans are coming in. Potatoes are growing. I also have some dill and parsley in pots.

The dill I started has completely wilted. I'm wondering if it's worth starting over.

Yes! Fresh dill makes great pickles.

[archaeo42]

Green beans are coming in. Potatoes are growing. I also have some dill and parsley in pots.

The dill I started has completely wilted. I'm wondering if it's worth starting over.

Yes! Fresh dill makes great pickles.

I attempted it because I love it in cucumber salads. Okay, resolved to try again. I'll plant when it isn't threatening rain.

[AmLitHist]

I staked up the oriental lilies and weeded the flower beds early this morning, before the heat and humidity return later today.  The ground was like concrete after all the rain last week, so I had to dig around a bit to loosen the roots. . . and the kitten who recently adopted us decided to help.  A good time, mostly, was had by all (except when I was weeding on one side of the huge bee balm without realizing he was stalking me.  I nearly had a heart attack when he pounced.)

[namazu]

I attempted it because I love it in cucumber salads. Okay, resolved to try again. I'll plant when it isn't threatening rain.

Dill (like cilantro) is a cool-weather crop.  If it's already getting hot in your area, that might help explain the wilting.  If you're not somewhere that's already hot, check that it's getting enough sunlight and enough but not too much water.

I've been growing it hydroponically indoors with a grow-light, with mostly good results (but occasional powdery mildew problems).

I also love it in cucumber salads, in tzatziki sauce, and for pickles.

Good luck!



My garden (intentionally-planted but somewhat neglected) at the moment consists mostly of native and nearly-native plants, especially wildflowers and shrubs, growing in the heavy clay soil of my yard.  I am pleased that the butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa, which had been kind of anemic-looking in past years) has come back in several places and is looking fairly robust, the blue false indigo (Baptisia australis) is flowering, and the hummingbirds are enjoying the coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens var "Major Wheeler"). 

We have a heavy deer population here, so a lot of plants get nibbled, but so far most things seem to be surviving.

I splurged on a used whiskey barrel with a red-handled water pump and a downspout diverter to use as a rain barrel (like this: http://auntmollysbarrelproducts.com/rainbarrelsandmore/2012%20white%20oak%20pump%20rain%20barrel.jpg ), and it continues to function well and make me happy.  Especially last year, when a tree frog took up part-time residence in the watering can we stashed underneath the pump.

My goal for next year is to investigate mulch options to lay around the plants, so that the garden will look as intentional as it is, and to keep the ground ivy and misc. grasses/sedges/other weeds at bay.

[archaeo42]

I attempted it because I love it in cucumber salads. Okay, resolved to try again. I'll plant when it isn't threatening rain.

Dill (like cilantro) is a cool-weather crop.  If it's already getting hot in your area, that might help explain the wilting.  If you're not somewhere that's already hot, check that it's getting enough sunlight and enough but not too much water.

I've been growing it hydroponically indoors with a grow-light, with mostly good results (but occasional powdery mildew problems).

I also love it in cucumber salads, in tzatziki sauce, and for pickles.

Good luck!

I was unaware of that. It is starting to get warm. I'll adjust where I put the new seeds I plant.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I attempted it because I love it in cucumber salads. Okay, resolved to try again. I'll plant when it isn't threatening rain.

Dill (like cilantro) is a cool-weather crop.  If it's already getting hot in your area, that might help explain the wilting.  If you're not somewhere that's already hot, check that it's getting enough sunlight and enough but not too much water.

I've been growing it hydroponically indoors with a grow-light, with mostly good results (but occasional powdery mildew problems).

I also love it in cucumber salads, in tzatziki sauce, and for pickles.

Good luck!

I was unaware of that. It is starting to get warm. I'll adjust where I put the new seeds I plant.

How about planting some indoors?

[archaeo42]

I attempted it because I love it in cucumber salads. Okay, resolved to try again. I'll plant when it isn't threatening rain.

Dill (like cilantro) is a cool-weather crop.  If it's already getting hot in your area, that might help explain the wilting.  If you're not somewhere that's already hot, check that it's getting enough sunlight and enough but not too much water.

I've been growing it hydroponically indoors with a grow-light, with mostly good results (but occasional powdery mildew problems).

I also love it in cucumber salads, in tzatziki sauce, and for pickles.

Good luck!

I was unaware of that. It is starting to get warm. I'll adjust where I put the new seeds I plant.

How about planting some indoors?

They had been indoors. They were in our guest room since that gets good light. But upstairs is also warmer so I'll need to adjust.

[archaeo42]

Does anyone have experience with caring for a Rose of Sharon? There's one planted in a bed we have in our backyard. It was there when we moved in. It's been shaped/pruned in such a way that has one central trunk and resembles a tree. We really haven't done much with it except cut back a few inconvenient branches.

The first 2 years we were in the house, it bloomed as expected. Last year, only half of it did. This year, it appears only a quarter of it will, based on where leaf growth is happening. Is it worthwhile at all to try and save it? If the number of branches I think are dead, actually are dead (3/4 of the plant) I'm not sure pruning it will save it.

I'm open to any suggestions.

[mamselle]

Is there any metal in the ground on the side where the leaves are dying?

Or is there a metal support for a whirligig or garden sign nearby?

We used to have them in the back of the yard along the alley and they grew like weeds...I don't think we every really did anything to take care of them.

But a soda can, lug nut, or piece of chain may be poisoning them.

I'd check that first.

M.

[sprout]

Is there any metal in the ground on the side where the leaves are dying?

Or is there a metal support for a whirligig or garden sign nearby?

We used to have them in the back of the yard along the alley and they grew like weeds...I don't think we every really did anything to take care of them.

But a soda can, lug nut, or piece of chain may be poisoning them.

I'd check that first.

M.

Is this really a thing?  Does it just apply to Rose of Sharon or to other plants too?  I haven't heard of this as something to watch out for before.

[mamselle]

Yes.

I came back after a longish trip once to find half the ivy dying on the steps beside mybgarden.

The culprit?

A beer can someone had tossed in there.

I cleared it out and the ivy came back.

M.