Gardening Tips Needed

[Curly]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

is that even possible ?? (i love zucchini. we should share zucchini recipes).

i don't have a garden but i've had a few window plants in the past. they don't get much direct sun though so they didn't flourish, and now i've just got an orchid, which was a gift and which miraculously (and unexpectedly) is still alive. any suggestions for low-maintenance shade-loving plants would be welcome, if i get up the motivation to start a few pots again...

The cookie recipe actually sounds quite good (I'm not convinced by the chocolate chips, but if Barbara Kingsolver recommends it, I'd be willing to try it!) http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.co...%20Cookies.pdf

We have an orchid on our window ledge as well and it keeps blooming year after year despite the fact we do almost nothing for it.

[Curly]

Originally Posted by LazyScot

Depending a little bit on whereabout you are in Scotland, I'd recommend some Raspberry canes; I grew them as a child, and there is nothing to beat a fresh Scottish raspberry (why do I get the feeling lots of people will completely mis-interpret this statement). The only thing to be careful of is that they can spread from the runners underground; otherwise they take very little effort to look after.

(With care, they freeze pretty well, too.)

As boring as it sounds, it is well worth trying potatoes; they can taste *so* much better.

(I also love fresh peas; always had good luck with them in Edinburgh.)

We are definitely going to try potatoes, though the past couple summers have been so wet I'm not too sure how well they will do. We sowed some strawberry seeds in a pot, but they are not interested in growing. I suspect it is too cold for them, even inside. I plan to buy a couple plants this weekend and grow them in large pots.

I like the idea of the square foot garden -- it sounds like they are essentially they are raised beds.

[LazyScot]

Originally Posted by Curly

We sowed some strawberry seeds in a pot, but they are not interested in growing. I suspect it is too cold for them, even inside. I plan to buy a couple plants this weekend and grow them in large pots.

I've never tried to grow them from seeds, just bought the plants. They did fine in Edinburgh, though benefitted from cloches to get them going. It's well worth pegging the runners into little pots (and keeping the number of runners down by cutting them off if the parent plant makes more than two or three). I remember hearing that you really need to replace the plants every three to four years, and that way you can do it all for free.

As for books, one D. G. Hessayon has a whole host of gardening books (A4 size) that are very good, not too pricey (about £8, I think) and are reasonably easy to find.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Curly

The cookie recipe actually sounds quite good (I'm not convinced by the chocolate chips, but if Barbara Kingsolver recommends it, I'd be willing to try it!) http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.co...%20Cookies.pdf

i'll take a look, thanks.

We have an orchid on our window ledge as well and it keeps blooming year after year despite the fact we do almost nothing for it.

that's very encouraging. i just noticed mine seems to have little buds on the very end of the new stem, so hopefully it will even flower !

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

is that even possible ?? (i love zucchini. we should share zucchini recipes).

i don't have a garden but i've had a few window plants in the past. they don't get much direct sun though so they didn't flourish, and now i've just got an orchid, which was a gift and which miraculously (and unexpectedly) is still alive. any suggestions for low-maintenance shade-loving plants would be welcome, if i get up the motivation to start a few pots again...

You might try Clivia, which is sort of a low-light Amaryllis, or flowering maple, which the Victorians used as a houseplant. (Various colors.) There's always begonias.

I don't grow any of these, not even orchids. To me, plants are for outside and books are for inside....

[pshrynk]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

You might try Clivia, which is sort of a low-light Amaryllis, or flowering maple, which the Victorians used as a houseplant. (Various colors.) There's always begonias.

I don't grow any of these, not even orchids. To me, plants are for outside and books are for inside....

I had some flowering maples once. Spousal Unit mkII's cats found them quite tasty.

[Curly]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Yep. 'Don't' - lie down in a darkened room until the urge goes away.

Okay Sparrow you're right, I should have gone and had a lie down instead. Just spent several hours in the garden digging and digging and digging --when I could have been sitting in my comfy chair drinking coffee and reading Terry Pratchett books.

It'll be worth it -- right?!

[krisk]

Absolutely! I am getting frustrated! I have everything started that possibly can be, but there are still quite a few hard frost mornings, and I can't get them into the ground yet.

[Nate the great]

My peppers, tomatoes, and some of the squash are starting to sprout. Between the 3 I think I have around 100 plants. I don't know how many will be used, though. The watermelons, giant pumpkins, and winter squash haven't sprouted yet.

The peas and lettuce will be ready to pick in a couple weeks. This year I went a little nuts and scattered each of 8 lettuce packets in a 2' by 2' patch. It hurt to have to thin them.

[Nate the great]

And I haven't even started the beans, sunflowers, beans, corn, beans, and still more beans. And if I told you how many ornamental gourd plants I will be growing this year, you'd think I was nuts.

[zelda_pinwheel]

i think all you gardeners should post some photos of the fruits of your labours.

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i think all you gardeners should post some photos of the fruits of your labours.

I did of my oranges in January...Too early for anything else...

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

I did of my oranges in January...Too early for anything else...

well, you can always post them when they're ready.

[Curly]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

And I haven't even started the beans, sunflowers, beans, corn, beans, and still more beans. And if I told you how many ornamental gourd plants I will be growing this year, you'd think I was nuts.

Okay, just have to ask now. How many ornamental gourds are you planting and why?

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

And I haven't even started the beans, sunflowers, beans, corn, beans, and still more beans. And if I told you how many ornamental gourd plants I will be growing this year, you'd think I was nuts.

Ummm... that's assuming we already don't...