Gardening in US Hardiness zone 6, New York State, May, 2014.
I have been busy, busy, busy with my gardens the last few weeks! Since my front yard was torn up by “the plumbing incident” a few weeks back, that requires a landscaper fix. I’ve had several landscapers out to look at all the issues, and to draw up a design and give me pricing. I should know more about that next week.
In the meantime, the backyard waits for no one!
Hubby and I went for a drive last weekend, and I bought a blackberry bush (a dedicated post on that is coming next week), and that lovely lavender colored Laguna Sky Blue hanging basket.
The Laguna Sky Blue is an annual listed for hardiness zones 9-11, yet not warmer than 70°s in the evening. Anyhooooo they were selling it at our local nursery, so I am giving it a go here. It is hardy to 35°, so there really shouldn’t be any issues in a hanging basket.
Maintenance Notes: Self cleaning, no deadheading necessary. Laguna does not like “wet feet”. Be sure that you do not keep the soil wet. Allow the soil surface to dry before watering again.
My tomatoes and peppers in the Earth Boxes are growing like weeds! You can’t really tell from these pics, but the Earth Box plants are twice as large as the plants I planted in the ground (see pic below).
I put on the extenders (should have done that in the first place) for the tomatoes in the Earth Box, and strung the netting for future support. This is in place of the tomato cages I used on the ground tomatoes (and green peppers).
I decided not to place the extenders or netting for the pepper plants in the Earth Boxes – I can always add it later if necessary.
Since I purchased too many tomato plants, I planted them in full sun close to where the Earth Boxes are stationed. Should be interesting to compare as the season progresses.
I did plant my herb garden approximately two weeks ago. Since I purchased too many pepper plants, the green peppers also made it into the “herb island”. We shall see how that “companion planting” works out.
The Basil in the herb garden look horrible – which is funny because of all the plants I planted, they looked the healthiest in the seedling containers. The progression of all these plants will be interesting to watch. Since I have not done herbs or vegetable gardening at this house, enough:sun, water, plant food, mulch, etc will be a learning experience. What I did at my last house gives me the experience to grow these plants (well, most of them, a few are totally new to me), but soil, sun, rain and wind conditions are different even 20 miles away. Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Right now things are moving along well. The sprinklers are set for three days a week, and if it doesn’t rain, I water two other days.
What are you growing in your garden this year? Tell me, How Does Your Garden Grow!?
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Stephanie B says
I finally got my vegetables (multi colored peppers, onion, broccoli, tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes) planted over the holiday weekend. Perfect weather!!! We bought far too many plants, so another raised garden bed is being built this week for the remaining plants. My in-laws were here over the weekend and my FIL purchased parsley and rosemary at the farmers market….then forgot them at my house. Since they live over 3 hours away, the herbs will now move into my garden. I want to plant flowers in the backyard, but can’t decide what I want.
Ann says
Seems to be a bought-too-many-plants theme going on this year, Stephanie!
Will your peppers be multicolored on one plant? I saw one advertised that gives off yellow, red and orange on the same plant, and thought that was the greatest thing ever!! And then I promptly forgot where I saw it, and bought too many pepper plants in individual colors.
Ann
KimH says
My gardens here at my house are doing fabulous… My rhubarb is ready to pick but Im too tired to do anything with it.. tomorrow the harvest starts… My fig tree got hurt hard by this winter and its coming back from its roots… probably no figs this year or if we do get some, it’ll be very late.. Blueberries and strawberries are full of blooms… they’ll be loaded. Hope I can keep the birds out of them.
I planted a new bed of asparagus that I need to go clean up.. not all of them survived the winter but its a good start..
I got 4 big half tubs made of out some sort of resin/plastic and 2 are filled with red potatoes and another has a bunch of brussels sprouts, carrots, & Japanese white radishes, and the other has a tomato plant, a jalapeno, a bell pepper and basil. It also has radishes in it as well… They’re doing beautiful!
My little backyard sanctuary is also gorgeous right now.. I couldnt ask for much better for whats there.. Its heavenly to sit out there in the cool breeze off of Lake Erie and listen to the birds chirping.. happily playing in my little water fountain..
I have loads of plants that are ready to go into my community garden plots.. I imagine the guys will get the till over there this weekend & get them tilled up again.. They opened the gardens about 2 weeks ago.. I was deathly sick and it rained like crazy so theres lots of grass growing there now.. As soon as they get it tilled, I’ll be putting in a whole lot of hours getting my stuff all planted up. Looking forward to it.. Today would have been a perfect day to be at the garden… but theres always tomorrow I guess~ 🙂
Ann says
Oh Kim, I am so sorry! I hope you are completely well now.
Sounds like you have a hobby farm there!! I may drive down and snitch that rhubarb you aren’t doing anything with. 😉
Ann
Jennifer says
Fruit that my parents and grandparents planted years ago has been ripening, and we have been making a lot of jelly. In our garden, squash is growing. Your containers look good. When I tried container gardening I planted too much in each box.
Ann says
I think I planted too much too, Jennifer. We shall see.
What kind of fruit trees!?
Ann