Gardeners: how's it looking?

[Aster]

Stuff like this is fairly popular if one doesn't want to go nuts with more elaborate cages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXo5i-z4_HE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTNJTJp1C3A

[AmLitHist]

We took out three garden beds a few years ago because I was tired of doing armed battle with the squirrels to get a few tomatoes.  They were wood and needed replacing, so they went back to lawn (well, clover and chickweed that got mowed).

I got a wild hair a few weeks ago, after the landlady finally got the sweet gum tree trimmed (i.e., back to a trunk with a few sprouting twigs), to take advantage of the lack of squirrel bleacher-seating to garden again.  (Yes, I know they'll still be around; I might have to set the GSD grand-dog on squirrel duty to earn his keep.)

So, 4, 8x3x1 galvanized steel raised beds are in transit from their warehouse, soil will be booked for delivery today, and I've already started buying some seeds.  A potato tower will also be established, maybe this weekend. 

I just like to watch stuff grow.  The veggies and some additional time and replacement/new plants in my flower beds (all thanks to an out-of-the-blue bonus at work) is my frivolous spending for the year. I'm looking forward to it.

Exciting! I've been lusting after the galvanized steel beds for awhile. Can you fence in the area to keep the squirrels out? Bird netting? A car battery or two wired up to an electric fence?

LOL.  I'm a country girl, so a 12-gauge shotgun with bird shot or rock salt would be my first choice.  However, we're in town, where such things are frowned upon by the civilized folk.....It might come down to some kind of fine-mesh fencing or cover, but I hope I don't need it.

[Puget]

We took out three garden beds a few years ago because I was tired of doing armed battle with the squirrels to get a few tomatoes.  They were wood and needed replacing, so they went back to lawn (well, clover and chickweed that got mowed).

I got a wild hair a few weeks ago, after the landlady finally got the sweet gum tree trimmed (i.e., back to a trunk with a few sprouting twigs), to take advantage of the lack of squirrel bleacher-seating to garden again.  (Yes, I know they'll still be around; I might have to set the GSD grand-dog on squirrel duty to earn his keep.)

So, 4, 8x3x1 galvanized steel raised beds are in transit from their warehouse, soil will be booked for delivery today, and I've already started buying some seeds.  A potato tower will also be established, maybe this weekend. 

I just like to watch stuff grow.  The veggies and some additional time and replacement/new plants in my flower beds (all thanks to an out-of-the-blue bonus at work) is my frivolous spending for the year. I'm looking forward to it.

Exciting! I've been lusting after the galvanized steel beds for awhile. Can you fence in the area to keep the squirrels out? Bird netting? A car battery or two wired up to an electric fence?

LOL.  I'm a country girl, so a 12-gauge shotgun with bird shot or rock salt would be my first choice.  However, we're in town, where such things are frowned upon by the civilized folk.....It might come down to some kind of fine-mesh fencing or cover, but I hope I don't need it.

Not the cheapest, but these work great: https://www.gardeners.com/buy/crop-cage-4x8/8596539.html?utm_campaign=PLA&utm_medium=googleshopping&utm_source=google&SC=GGLPLA&gclid=CjwKCAjw3pWDBhB3EiwAV1c5rFF_DBEEOczJ_MNgn5MVdZjflva-U9kQi__wKv7eHg_dKxHuXhPQiBoCZDsQAvD_BwE

[AmLitHist]

Those are nice, Puget!  Thanks for the recommendation.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Good idea, Puget.

The Squirrel King is my nemesis. We have words on a daily basis. We especially had words after someone dug up my new seeds. I have also been known to use a paint ball gun.

[AmLitHist]

The bed kits are here, and I got a load of nice soil delivered yesterday!  Woo-hoo!

[Parasaurolophus]

I think some of the empress tree seeds are germinating. Gonna have to plant my veg seeds soon.

[AmLitHist]

Three beds built (I did most of one all by myself!).  On to filling with soil!

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Exciting news from everyone. We had a Community Day in the garden this weekend. Lots of helpers. They really accomplished a lot!

[spork]

Looking for suggestions:

I'm going to move a shrub to the back yard and would like to replace it with a perennial that puts out red or yellow flowers (front yard is on the north side of the house, gets partial shade, so I want warm colors). Height should be anywhere from 6" to 2'. I'm in hardiness zone 6b.

I already have a few red poppy plants in the yard, blooms are nice but they don't last very long.

Also there is often a bumper crop of rabbits. Tulips get eaten down to the soil.

[Puget]

Lots of gardening activity here--

My raspberry and grape dormant bare root plants arrived in the mail and I got them planted this weekend-- hopefully they will all survive and start growing (but if not they are guaranteed for 1 year).

My enclosed porch is full of starts from seed- zucchini, cucumber, basil, dill, cilantro, and various flowers.

The peas are all out in the garden already and starting to climb their trellis. I planted kale, arugula and lettuce seeds in the garden this past weekend.

Parsley, sorrel and, lemon balm and mint have come back from last year, the thyme survived the winter, and the garlic I planted last fall is up and growing fast.

I pre-ordered my tomato and pepper starts from an annual fundraiser plant sale for pick-up May 15 (when we can safely plant out). They also had tomatillos this year so I ordered one as an experiment.

Looking for suggestions:

I'm going to move a shrub to the back yard and would like to replace it with a perennial that puts out red or yellow flowers (front yard is on the north side of the house, gets partial shade, so I want warm colors). Height should be anywhere from 6" to 2'. I'm in hardiness zone 6b.

I already have a few red poppy plants in the yard, blooms are nice but they don't last very long.

Also there is often a bumper crop of rabbits. Tulips get eaten down to the soil.

How about day-lilies? Yellow flowers (which are edible!), prolific and easy to grow. The bunnies may eat some of them, but they produce new flowers every day (deadhead regularly to prolong the blooming season).

[spork]

Daylilies: great suggestion, thanks! I'll look around to see what colors are available.

[memyself]

They also had tomatillos this year so I ordered one as an experiment.

Tomatillos don't self-pollinate so you will need at least two plants in close proximity.

[Puget]

They also had tomatillos this year so I ordered one as an experiment.

Tomatillos don't self-pollinate so you will need at least two plants in close proximity.

Good to know! I guess I shall have to obtain a second one.

[AmLitHist]

Daylilies: great suggestion, thanks! I'll look around to see what colors are available.

Stella d'Oros are a nice rich golden yellow, and they bloom like mad all summer. 

I got a couple of true red mini dahlias to plant near mine; they should set off the daylilies that much more (along with several other red/purplish/pink perennials I picked up last week).

Here, the cardboard boxes all over my yard and garden looked just lovely, what with the couple of inches of snow they got yesterday.  I've left them on, since we're probably going back down into the mid- to upper-20s again tonight.  I hope my peonies, next to the house and still under their boxes, are OK--they were already budding a week ago and are just loaded this year. 

The new leaves on the street trees the city planted south of our house last year are gone--they look like they've had boiling water poured on them.  Other trees in the neighborhood have had their leaves frozen off for the second time now this spring.

The forecast is for temps near 80 by this time next week.  Dandy.