let's talk!

1. 96

   Jule Romansposted 13 years ago

   I think it would really be fun to share our gardening experiences here.
   
   I am particularly interested in native flowers and insects. Anyone want to chat a bit about that?

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2. 0

   EmpressFelicityposted 13 years ago

   I got into gardening last year.  My main interest is growing vegetables and herbs in containers.  I've also got into making my own compost, and growing the vegetables/herbs in that!  (It saves money and gives far better results.) 
   
   The biggest kick I get is during the summer when I can pick tomatoes and salad leaves (rocket, lettuce, and baby spinach/chard) from my own back garden, and produce a healthy, tasty lunch from them with the addition of a couple of slices of ham, tuna, eggs, olives or whatever.
   
   
   
   Pic above (taken two minutes ago) shows Welsh onion, mixed lettuce leaves, mizuna, chives, mint, oregano and thyme, with some chard just seen in the background.

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   1. 61

      John Yeomanposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Those are beautiful pictures. Makes you want to frame the herbs, not eat, 'em!

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   2. 93

      Jayne Lancerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      This doesn't really add to the thread, but I just have to say this is a beautiful photo, EmpressFelicity.
      It rather inspires me to want to take up gardening.

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      1. 0

         EmpressFelicityposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks!  Talking of insect species, I did take a similar pic last year that included loads of painted lady butterflies, all of which seemed to love the blooms on my chives.
         
         From my own personal experience, I would say jump right in and get gardening assuming you've got a space to garden in, however small - it's highly rewarding.  Our back garden is tiny and I've been amazed by what I've managed to cram in.  It helps if you have an idea of what you want to achieve - my own self-imposed "brief" was "utilitarian yet nice to look at, too".
         
         This year I'm also putting veggies in tubs in our front garden as well - it gets more sun and fewer slugs, so courgettes and beans should do better there.

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         1. 93

            Jayne Lancerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            For the past few years, my husband has found it very stylish to have paving slabs and giant bamboo plants in enormous concrete tubs. Of course, we have to spend very little time gardening, but I wonder if it can really be called a garden at all ... But I could try out your idea; put the pots and containers etc. in a secluded corner where he won't see them for a while. It would be great to serve a salad or cook vegetables I've grown myself.

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               Justine76posted 13 years agoin reply to this

               try it. If hubby gets fresh good food that he didn't have to work for, he will be all for it. 

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                  Jayne Lancerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  He'll probably go from one extreme to the other; pull up the slabs, ditch the tubs, and we'll have one big vegetable garden. And who will be the one to nurture it? Moi
                  
                  I see myself swapping stilettos for gum boots ...

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3. 0

   Justine76posted 13 years ago

   well, sorry its not exactly about native stuff, but we have had a horrid invasion of Japanese Beetles and I really want to get rid of them. Sevin dust seems to work ok, but that stuff is so nasty!!! Is there something else I can try?

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4. 96

   Jule Romansposted 13 years ago

   Japanese beetles are just horrid! I have found that traps work temporarily. But the risk with them is that you wind up attracting MORE Japanese beetles because of the pheromones.
   
   Maybe someone else has an idea.  Shall we make a new tread for that discussion?

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      Justine76posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I see you did. I hope somebody knows!!!  its bad here as they are not native AT ALL!!!! The plants have no natural defenses. I can not believe they live thru our winters!

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5. 0

   zampanoposted 13 years ago

   I have some aphids on my fresh rose buds.
   Nothing alarming, just natural.
   I'm fighting them with physical means, no chemistry yet!
   I hope it'll be ok. Maybe I'll buy some lady bugs (google translation for mariquita) to eat them all so my roses will bloom at ease.
   Today I just cut some branches of lilac and wisteria.
   I swear to you, the house is smelling like spring.
   And it's so good !

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      Justine76posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      lady bugs will work great. I have tons all over I never see aphids.

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6. 0

   zampanoposted 13 years ago

   Good! Lucky you.
   Lady bugs are getting rare around here.

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      Justine76posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      why? we have more then ever here, nearly an epedimic? I mean, I have all winter long hundreds of lady bugs in my light fixtures... in the fall there are litteraly clouds of them flying around. Been that way for about five years now.
      
      Thats wierd. Our bees are dieing. Some say it might be all becuase of cell phones.

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7. 96

   Jule Romansposted 13 years ago

   Cell phones? Really???? tell me more...

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      Justine76posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      hmmm...  I will have to research and come back. It was in the news a few years back. Something about bees arent finding thier way home due to als the sound interference with cell phones and the towers, wich around here are typically in large fields... Also some people thought it was due to an increase in bee mites.
      Whatever the reason, bees ARE dieing and you can see the result in the high price of produce.

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8. 96

   Jule Romansposted 13 years ago

   That's fascinating. I did not know  cell phones were connected. Yes, we are quite worried about the bee colonies, too. I try to plant good flowers to support bumblebees and honeybees.

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      logic,commonsenseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Honeybees love red raspberries!
      So do I!

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         zampanoposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         hehehe, me too.
         But when we land on flower, consequences are other than if it were a honeybee...

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            kimberlyslyricsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            me three

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9. 0

   This_and_Thatposted 13 years ago

   Wow! what a beautiful garden! Guess you don't have to have the typical plot of ground to grow a beautiful garden. I don't have and ground to plant in, but I do have a deck. Maybe I'll give this a try. Thank you for the nice hub! Very inspiring!

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