Comments on: Weekend Gardening: Fruits of our Labors

By: D Wilson

D Wilson — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:04:48 +0000

Andrea: If you think you’d have room to plant without losing too much sun, I’d be happy to send you some loquat seeds. The germination rate seems to be about 150 percent judging by all the saplings now growing under the trees. I can’t recall how many years before we got fruit reliably off ours, but they are delightful if you can beat squirrels/birds/bugs to them and nearly impossible to find in markets. I think they’d be fine once they got past the first winter or two.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:17:58 +0000

Hi Susan! Once we have everything in place, I’ll probably spend up to 30 minutes a day during the week harvesting. I save bigger tasks like weeding for the weekends unless it’s getting out of control. I use a hand fork for digging up the weeds, it’s easier and more effective than pulling.
I’ve too have had trouble with mint being spindly in pots, so last year I put it in a 10-inch pot like the plants come in from the nursery to keep the roots in check, then buried it as described above. After being outdoors for a year and having time for the roots to develop and acclimate, I dug it up and potted it, and it’s doing great.

By: Susan at Sticky,Gooey,Creamy,Chewy

Susan at Sticky,Gooey,Creamy,Chewy — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:52:21 +0000

I am always so inspired when I read your gardening posts! I’ve been after my husband for 2 years to build some raised beds for me, and I’m still waiting. Sigh… I hate to have to hire someone to do it for me.
Honestly, though, what is the daily time commitment to keep your plants looking so beautiful and bountiful? I worry that I won’t have the time to keep it up. How do you keep your mint so full? Mine always seems to get all spindly on me.

By: Kim da Cook

Kim da Cook — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:36:25 +0000

Your garden is coming together beautifully, and lucky you that its spring that side of the world here the temperatures have dropped and winter is well on its way.

By: VegBoxBoy

VegBoxBoy — Mon, 04 May 2009 07:50:49 +0000

I wish I had that engineer thing going on. I bought my beds in a kit and they took well over 4 hours to build. Yours are shorter and my wood’s a bit chunkier, but next time I might try for some self-build like yours; I’m most jealous of your 4 hours only build time.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Sun, 03 May 2009 04:25:04 +0000

Becky, it is a lot of work, but it’s all worth it when the garden starts producing.
DE, thanks. Our spinach sprouts then never does anything past the seedling stage, but the tatsoi has done very well.
Kalyn, I hope you get to have a garden this year.
Nate, we do plan to have some other things in containers, and I’ll blog about those as we get things going.
Danielle, we’re right on the border of Zones 6 & 7.

By: Danielle Deskins

Danielle Deskins — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:23:09 +0000

Wow, I’m so impressed and a little jealous! I’m hoping once my son is a little older to take on a project like this for us. I’m assuming you’re in a little warmer climate than we are here in KY but we’ll just have to adjust accordingly. I’m anxious to read some recipes utilizing all your new crops!

By: Nate

Nate — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:10:26 +0000

You two did a great job! My back is sore just thinking about it

Your garden shows a lot of promise. Besides the mint, will you be doing more container gardening?

Nates last blog post..“Grow Your Own” Roundup #27

By: Kalyn

Kalyn — Sat, 02 May 2009 23:35:46 +0000

Great photos! You’re so far ahead of me. My whole yard is still full of construction junk, and the sprinklers are torn up, so I may have to settle for a rather minimal garden this year. I’m not giving up yet though, and I have some herbs growing and a few herb seeds planted.

By: De in D.C.

De in D.C. — Sat, 02 May 2009 22:19:06 +0000

Your beds are looking positively fabulous! I’m very jealous of all your sun. I’ll have to try tatsoi next year; I have the same spinach problems you have in that the leaves bairly mature before they bolt (assuming they aren’t devoured by slugs first).