Gardening

There are numerous varieties of any favorite vegetable. The key is to grow those that do well in your micro climate. I find that out by asking what did well for my neighbors the previous year. For example not all varieties of tomatoes do well in our clay soil and hot, dry summer air.

I have a real Einstein for a neighbor who keeps trying to grow tropical plants. He can never understand why they die

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Check out the Aerogarden. We've had one for a couple of years now. Perfect for growing indoor herbs.

Do you have one?

One thing i'm wondering is how quickly the plants replenish themselves after you cut off branches for use? I use quite a lot of thyme in particular since it's used in just about everything.

Originally Posted by GQgeek

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Do you have one?

One thing i'm wondering is how quickly the plants replenish themselves after you cut off branches for use? I use quite a lot of thyme in particular since it's used in just about everything.

Yes, we have the biggest model. There are six (I think) planting spots. Just plant more than one spot in thyme if you want. For me, I like basil, as I love cooking with pesto. I'll harvest and make a big batch of pesto, then freeze it in single size portions. I love sage too. We even grow some little Japanese peppers.

I've got oregano, sage, thyme, chives, spearmint, rosemary, and tarragon in my herb garden right now. Figure to add some basil, parsley, dill and a few others soon.
I've got a couple of cherry trees that produce good fruit and three apple trees that I've recently pruned back into shape, although one is likely not going to make it much longer. I've also managed to nurse my two lemons back to health and am getting a nice small crop with plenty of new fruit starting to set. I also have a plum tree but the fruit is only good for cooking with. Plum only goes so far.

We will also plant tomatoes as soon as I recover the small green house I built for them. Were also planning radishes, carrots, and squash as well as maybe some lettuce and what ever else strikes our fancy.

My only advice is plenty of compost, work the soil as deep as you can and don't over think it.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Yes, we have the biggest model. There are six (I think) planting spots. Just plant more than one spot in thyme if you want. For me, I like basil, as I love cooking with pesto. I'll harvest and make a big batch of pesto, then freeze it in single size portions. I love sage too. We even grow some little Japanese peppers.
If I go through a few sprigs of thyme per week, how many spots do you think i'd need?

Have a more profitable herb in the greenhouse right now, NorCal?

Originally Posted by GQgeek

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If I go through a few sprigs of thyme per week, how many spots do you think i'd need?

2-3

I have a 12'x12' herb garden out the back door, and sometimes (probably not this year) like an acre of vegetables.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Have a more profitable herb in the greenhouse right now, NorCal?

Naw, nothing but weeds . Really.
Actually by recover I meant re-cover as in put new plastic on it. The only way I can get enough heat to ripen tomatoes properly is in a green house. My GF is obsessed with growing them, so I built a simple 2x4 and PVC frame and covered it in plastic sheeting.

Originally Posted by NorCal

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Naw, nothing but weeds

. Really.
Actually by recover I meant re-cover as in put new plastic on it. The only way I can get enough heat to ripen tomatoes properly is in a green house. My GF is obsessed with growing them, so I built a simple 2x4 and PVC frame and covered it in plastic sheeting.

If my area for growing tomatoes is going to get really hot this summer, but won't necessarily have much sunlight exposure, can I still predict some success? I don't know if they just need the heat or the actual daily exposure.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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If my area for growing tomatoes is going to get really hot this summer, but won't necessarily have much sunlight exposure, can I still predict some success? I don't know if they just need the heat or the actual daily exposure.

I planted three or four varieties of tomatoes the first year - the one that thrived was clearly the best suited to that location (very filtered sunlight, but extreme heat.

you know this thread started in 2006! I wonder if Iammatt had any luck?

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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2-3

Are these things loud? What are the light cycles for herbs?

Ideally I'd like to put these things in my living room, but I don't want to see CFLs when I'm using my projector...

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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If my area for growing tomatoes is going to get really hot this summer, but won't necessarily have much sunlight exposure, can I still predict some success? I don't know if they just need the heat or the actual daily exposure.
Yes. Healdsburg is pretty good for tomatoes. It gets hot (relatively) and you don't get a lot of evening fog, which is what kills it here closer to the coast. As per direct sun v. indirect heat, the heat helps them ripen, the sun helps them grow. As long as they are getting some sun, be it morning noon or night, and they will grow. Obviously the more the better but I would not worry too much. Give them a nice deep container, at least ten gallons, and water them early in the day. A little fertilizer will do wonders as well. Organic is nice but some miracle grow works too. Don't over do it. Make sure you have decent soil and use a nice compost with some chicken **** in it. Again, you can buy your soil at home depot and save a few bucks if you need to. Don't spray the leaves or the fruit as that will cause blotches and blight.

I grow potatoes every year and ocassionally lettuces, broad beans and carrots. Potatoes are easy: all you need is decent enough soil and a little preparation. They're ready in around 12 weeks and can be grown pretty much year round here.

I'm fortunate enough to have a fairly large garden and excellent soil though. When I lived in a city, I used to grow herbs in window box thing, which was easy enough and were a hell of a lot better than of the stuff in shops.