Spring is in the Air: Gardening 101

March 11, 2006 | Alisasny

[alisasny]

Spring is in the Air: Gardening 101

Hello everyone. Spring is coming, I can smell it.

Please leave gardening tips and tricks.

I am looking to find some very low upkeep annuals this year other then marigolds. I am tired of beheading petunias in my planter boxes to make them last till fall.

Also suggestions for vegetable gardens.

Good Gardening links also.

ENJOY : )

[yankeedame]

I am looking to find some very low upkeep annuals this year other then marigolds.

Three suggestions that thrive on neglect and are tough,tough,tough:

1) Cosmos. I planted them in northern FL and here in central Ohio. In both places they grew like crazy.

2) Marigolds.
Don't turn up your nose. There are about a zillions varieties in all sizes, shapes and colors. There are marigolds with no (or almost none) scent, white marigolds (though they're actually a light yellow-ivory IMHO),and there are "mule" marigolds who spend all their time blooming since they can't make babies. Check out Burpee.com.

3) Zinnia. There are some lovely cadets of this family called Zinnia Augustiafolio (sp???). Instead of being a pom-pom head, they have flat pedals like daisies.

Nasturtiums are supposed to be very easy to grow but I nave never had any luck with them. :o(

If you are looking for perennials seriously consider OGR (old garden roses). Like the above 3 annuals these gals are tough and a lot hardier than their modern sisters.

[IrishCatholic]

I have garden fever pretty bad. It is 70 today. But I keep looking back through my garden journals and reminding myself that my last frost date is May 5th on average.
But still....
How big is your garden for vegetables? What do you like most? I have plenty of recommendations if you let me know what you like.
IrishCatholic

[MotleyGirl70]

I was going to suggest marigolds, before I read your whole post.

Petunias aren't one of my favorites, but they are good "fillers" in large gardens and planters.

Have you ever tried impatience?

They are delicate and when you mix many colors together, they are beautiful.

[alisasny]

24 feet by 8 feet : )

[IrishCatholic]

Not bad at all. Are you a regular vegetable gardener? Will you use all the space for vegetables? Or will you do flowers too? Do you cook much? Do you can or freeze veggies?
I guess what I am trying to ask is how experienced are you in veggies and are you looking for tips, basic know how, or just varieties?

[World'sGoneInsane]

Yellow marigolds are hearty plants but attract bees, found that out the hard way. Do the other colors attract bees?

[yankeedame]

Yellow marigolds are hearty plants but attract bees, found that out the hard way. Do the other colors attract bees?

Hummm...I can't say. I've never had any trouble but maybe I've just been luck -- the bee(s) and I weren't in the same place as the same time. But marigolds come in lots more colors than yellow. I always had a weakness for the small red-and-gold/orange ones. They look like a running flame. So pretty...and, like I said, I never noticed any bees.

Burpee's

[World'sGoneInsane]

I never noticed any bees.

It may be regional. We no longer line the driveway with them, it was a wall of bees.

[Lil'freeper]

Spent the morning turning beds - laying in kelp meal and compost - and got half of them done. Spent the afternoon setting up my peat pots.

I second the reccomend for cosmos. It's an indestructible flower. Looks really, really pretty tucked in with peas and tomatos.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Cool thread BUMP!

[Mrs. Darla Ruth Schwerin]

-Chamomile(pretty white, daisy-like, smells fresh) Plant in inner garden area because they seem to sprawl and look messy after a while.
-Fever Few(same as above, except doesn't smell real swift, but is sturdier than chamomile. Good for lining a walkway. It probably keeps some critters away since the smell is unappealing.

[pies]

The new wave petunias are great! You don't have to pinch them. On the ground they spread with many blooms; also beautiful in planters. I love them. Also love impatiens for shady spots, and cosmos will reseed.

[Westlander]

What climate zone are you in ?

[alisasny]

East coast NY. I usually plant flowers in late April but this year it will be early May since I am going away late April.

[alisasny]

I have used the WAVE but they are dead by mid August and I am constantly beheading them to save them. I swore last year I was done with Petunias.

[alisasny]

It will be a veggie garden unless I need to put some particular flower in there to keep insects away. I have flower gardens everywhere else in my yard including small planters on every fence post. My property is 100 by 100 and there are flowers just about everywhere with perennials everywhere. Mostly Hosta and other shrubs. Last year I planted gardenia and ornamental grass around the pool and they should come up nicely this year. I also have a garden with the centerpiece being a very nice Fig tree. I also have hanging planters front porch and many planters around my upstairs deck.

People in the neighborhood think I have a landscaper. : )

[ShadowDancer]

I've planted lots of different tomatos but I found an heirloom last year that I absolutely love, Brandywine. They get relatively large, like a beefsteak does, but they are unbelievably sweet and not at all mealy or hard in the center like others that size can be. They take a long time to reach maturation, though, so I ususally plant an Early Girl of something of that nature also because I hate waiting that long for tomatos in the summer.

[2Jedismom]

I've had trouble with birds getting my maters. I found that they always went for the red ones but never touched my yellow ones! Maybe they can't see the yellow ones? So this year I'm going to try all yellow big tomatoes, and only Sweet 100 red ones.

Here is a link to my gardening pictures:

2j's gardening photos.

[poobear]

Gerbera Daisies - 4 to 5" flowers!
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/892/index.html