Gardening

[DizzyBee]

I'd like this gardening thread to be a place where we can talk about gardens, boast or complain with or without the help of pics, ask questions and simply tell each other how much we love gardening. :butterfly:

Some of you may think this thread belongs in the General section but there is a reason I'm putting this here. As much as I want to involve all gardeners I would also like to see what gardening means to others in terms of spirituality and perhaps more importantly seeing the nature of this site - how we can use it a tool for to encourage sobriety. We may even uncover some new truths. :leaf:

Thank you for reading this and I hope this *grows* into something beautiful.

:flower: :flower: :flower:

[DizzyBee]

Gardening

Spiritual Gardening by Peg Streep

Here is an excerpt from this book that I found very beautiful. Just to add my own two cents - gardening always gives me that little sense of amazement, nothing else you can do except give birth gives you that sense of helping god in the creation process. So whether you are an old time gardener, used to garden but 'relapsed' cos of the bottle, think you don't have green fingers, or claim to have no space - I think everyone can gain something from our green friends. Even if you just put 3 pots of herbs on your kitchen sill. And there aint no such thing as green fingers, all you need is a little green in your heart and a bit of effort and the rest is sure to follow.

:flower: :flower: :flower:



I found it on this website: SoulfulLiving.com - Feature Article on Spiritual Gardening - Gardening as a Spiritual Tool, by Peg Streep - Soulful Living

"When we garden we reconnect ourselves to the slow rhythms of the cosmos. Our knees in the dirt, our faces close to the ground, we dig in the soil and see the myriad forms of life hidden to us when we are upright and walking: the earthworm tunneling through the soil, the outlined whiteness of the grub, the sticky trail of the slug. The perfumes of the garden—the rich loamy smell of water-laden soil or the acrid bite of the geranium—revive us and remind us that the world has a palette of scent as well as color. The sweetness of a berry and the cool note of mint encompass a range of taste and feeling, and teach a lesson in opposites. We breathe deep as our fingers work the soil, and marvel at the texture of the visible world: the soft fuzz of a begonia’s leaf, the pansy’s fragile velvet, the feathery lightness of dill. And then there is the music of a garden, set apart from the noise-filled world in which we usually live: the evening call of the summer cicada or the whisper of grasses, the crackle of fallen leaves underfoot.

Gardening also helps us come to terms with the cycle of human life. Many of us tend to see our lives as linear, moving from points A to B in progression, with birth and death at opposite ends of the continuum, but the garden teaches another lesson entirely. In nature, beginnings and endings, birth and death, are inseparable: implicit in the flower’s blooming is its dying-off as well as its eventual renewal. The perennials in our winter garden—dead aboveground, still awake below—teach us about time and hidden mysteries. The withered annual is a symbol of the larger pattern that extends beyond us and our gardens: Seeds borne by the wind and birds bring small pieces of our lives into other places and other lives, making new, if unseen, connections. Planting seeds makes us active participants in the cycle of life, while tending our gardens teaches us about larger patterns of the cycle that are beyond our control. We learn patience from the long wait from planting to sprouting to blooming, as we learn acceptance when nature takes its own course. We gain humility when we catch a true glimpse of the extraordinary complexity of the natural world.

With all of our senses engaged, seeing becomes understanding in the garden. Just as the medieval monks could see God’s presence in His handiwork and could make it the starting point for a meditation, so, too, we are learning to go into the garden to glimpse the “larger pattern”—regardless of what we name it—which seems to elude us in the other details of our everyday lives. This book was written and designed so that these experiences could be shared; our lives are enriched when we understand that the seeds in our hands are the promise of tomorrow."

[DizzyBee]

Gardening

Worm Farms

OK, I have to go shower but I have a 1003 voices yelling at me to write this one before I do. That would be my Red Wriggler worms Miso Scared 1-1003 who lives in a very plush 3 story plastic worm farm with a little tap to extract 'worm tea' and everything.



Now I have two very healthy cats and a bouncy dog but for some reason I'm not the world's best worm mommy. My last batch of worms died. Admittedly I was drunk/hungover 24/7 and they died during a heatwave as I forgot to give them enough water. I still feel guilty so please don't judge me.

Anyhoo, even before they went to the big wormfarm in the sky they didnt seem to multiply as much as other people's worms do and I did look after them well pretty much most of the time.

So does anyone here have a flourishing worm farm and can you give me some do and don't tips please? Miso Scared 1-1003 and I would be much obliged.



This is not my worms, Miso Scared 1-1003 are camera shy.

PS: I named them after I read Determinators post last night, so thanks Det.

[DizzyBee]

Gardening

Save My Worms!

OK, I have to go shower but I have a 1003 voices yelling at me to write this one before I do. That would be my Red Wriggler worms Miso Scared 1-1003 who lives in a very plush 3 story plastic worm farm with a little tap to extract 'worm tea' and everything.



Now I have two very healthy cats and a bouncy dog but for some reason I'm not the world's best worm mommy. My last batch of worms died. Admittedly I was drunk/hungover 24/7 and they died during a heatwave as I forgot to give them enough water. I still feel guilty so please don't judge me.

Anyhoo, even before they went to the big wormfarm in the sky they didnt seem to multiply as much as other people's worms do and I did look after them well pretty much most of the time.

So does anyone here have a flourishing worm farm and can you give me some do and don't tips please? Miso Scared 1-1003 and I would be much obliged.



This is not my worms, Miso Scared 1-1003 are camera shy.

PS: I named them after I read Determinators post last night, so thanks Det.

[spacebebe01]

Gardening

I am a gardening newby and inspired by Ms Dizzy am loving my new hobby. I have palnted some bushy kinds of plants in my garden, about 10 of them, I have 3 fruit trees and have now bought some bedding plants to grow lovely flowers in pots for me and the bees to enjoy and Ive also got some carrot and beans seeds. The new things arnt planted yet because it hasnt stopped raining since I got them oh and Ive also planted a few sprouty potatoes. I am actually finding it very exciting at the moment and I am amazed when things actually grow for me as I know nothing about gardening really and have two dogs that make a mess out there so will never have a manicured lawn but I dont care about that.

I have also just got today from Amazon the dvd of Jamie at home, its Jamie Oliver at his annoying but inspiring best mixing growing food and cooking it, I have enjoyed watching it, and cant wait to plant the seeds out of the next peppers I use in my cooking

[spacebebe01]

Gardening

I just got back from the school and am having a quick cuppa before I go and try to get the planting done while the rain keeps off, I hope so I will have to be quick.

xxx

[DizzyBee]

Gardening

Hi Space

I see no one has saved my worms yet

This magazine also looks interesting: Grow Your Own | Growing Vegetables | Gardening Tips & Advice | GYO Fruit & Veg Magazine

Jeez, I feel like making up with bf just so I can go to London to buy the mag.

So, how far did you get with the Jamie series and did you learn anything? I love his garden and his gardener even though he does look a bit stoned all the time. Hey, I'm no judging.

:flower:

[blondie]

Gardening

Hi Dizzy
Love your worm farm - am thinking of getting one now the scorching summer heat has passed; I know they would end up frazzled otherwise!

Tried to upload a couple of garden (and doggie) photos, but (obviously) wasn't successful - will go back and read your instructions (perhaps not simple enough for me!)

Space - Love Jamie's garden (and house) but he does grate quite a bit and his gardener reminds me of a 60s hippie friend who always had a little relaxing something to puff on!!

DB - will read your links later, but they look interesting! Why don't you ask bf to get you a subscription to the mag -might make him wonder what your plans are!!

[spacebebe01]

Gardening

I have managed to do a few pots before the rain has started. I am most of the way through the series !!! I am going to try the idea of potatoes in bags, I have put some in the ground but I dont know how they will grow with the dogs walking on them, my dad also used to grow tomartoes in buckets so I want to try that, he had a greenhouse tho but I know I dont need one need one for tomartoes. I am sure they will taste lovely grown with love:h, my son loves cherry toms so I want to grow those for him. No clue where Im can put carrots and lettuce tho

[Lavande]

Gardening

Hi Dizzy,

I love my garden but am making it a bit smaller this year. Last summer I had way too much food & couldn't find enough people to give it too.

I have a perennial herb garden right outside my door with parsley, rosemary, thyme, chives, chocolate mint, lemon balm, dill & more
In the big garden so far I have brussel sprouts, broccoli, swiss chard & a few tomato plants in & growing very happily due to my never ending supply of chicken poop fertilizer :H
I have lettuces growing in large boxes on my deck for easy picking.
I'm still wanting to get some zucchini & cucumber plants in & hopefully will this weekend if it doesn't rain - oh & green beans of course.

I love putting my hands in the dirt, don't love the weeding so much but the home grown produce is fantastic. Pictures to follow

[Cinders]

Gardening

I have never grown veges because of my past traveling. Well, I have grown tomatoes and peppers but that is all.

I did plant my flower bed out back. Foxglove, larkspur, cocks comb, marigolds, petunias and dianthus. The bed already had two hydrangeas and turtle heads, as well as some chive and oregano. Hopefully, the new plants will thrive. I love flowers.

I still have to put down the mulch.

My clematis that I planted several years ago has finally gotten healthy. I had purchased it at the end of the season for $1.00 at Lowes. It was root bound and straggly. But, after a couple of years in the ground, it is finally growing well and blooming.

Does anyone know if I need to dead head the clematis blooms? I can't find good information about clematis care, too many different opinions, etc.

Next Fall, I am going to set up some raised beds for veges. I'll start small until I get the hang of vegetable care.

I do have a strawberry patch but the squirrels and birds keep beating me to the berries. :-)

[blondie]

Gardening

testing


If this works - here is my tomato tester trying rare red tomatoes; once they get the taste, they start eating them when they are green.

And if this didn't work, well talk amongst yourselves for a while

ETA - Woot - it worked. A bit large, but good for those of us with dimming vision!!

[DizzyBee]

Gardening

It looks like having your own thread is like watching the telephone when you're waiting for a new guy to call you. It only rings when you stop watching it.



That must be the cutest picture that I've seen in a long time. I've never heard of a dog that does that but my book 'Jane's delicious garden' has a pic of her cat doing the same. Thats even weirder, well because cats are usually pickier!

You can keep a worm farm in the summer but they love this time of year (in the southern hemisphere, where we are) In summer you have to keep them in the shade and you have to check on them daily to ensure that they are moist enough. Mine died of heat exhaustion! (and lack of love...)

Southpark had this cool episode somewhere in Season 14 on celebrity chefs and all Jamie Oliver does is cry about kids not eating right. Its damn funny.

Lav, wish I had your problem with the too much veggies but then I'm sure your chickens have something to do with it. Also now wish that you were my neighbour ESPECIALLY after you told me that you don't have a rooster They are just the worst things. You'll have to show us some pics, your garden sounds fantastic.

I will also take more pics but its been raining for the last couple of days and I want to take nice sunny pics. I also like putting my hands in the dirt, I hate wearing gloves, it makes one so clumsy, but gardening is tough on fingernails though!

Cinders, I don't know much about Clematis but I asked my mom and she says there is a big debate. She says don't touch it, people who deadhead Clematis have smaller and scrawnier flowers. Maybe not touch it this year as an experiment.

I know what you mean with strawberries, for me they grow better in containers but by the time the straberry is half red something has always bitten a hole in it! I use an organic spray with lots of garlic in it for other plants but no one likes garlicky strawberries either!

Yes veggies aren't really difficult but it takes a lot more effort than say herbs. YOu have to keep your hand on it every day. When I used to drink I would skip days and then sometimes a worm commando wouldve swooped in and taken out a whole section of lettuce. Maybe God's way of teaching me a lesson...

Space, do you have a Curry's or some sort of hardware shop close to you? Or a nursery? I think you could make a cool inexpensive raised bed by simply putting potting soil into wooden crates (ones with not too many holes on the sides). This will work well for lettuce and carrots as you don't need more than 30cm of soil for this anyway. Well I don't think you need more than that for any veg except maybe taters.

Potting soil is heavy but these days you could probably just order it online and have them deliver it at your home. Then buy 5 bags of potting soil and 5 bags of compost or something like that to make it worth the delivery fee. Its not fun lugging those bags around but it will make a big difference to your garden. Add compost every spring. Notice how black the soil in Jamie's garden is? Thats almost pure compost.

Happy gardening all.

:flower:

[spacebebe01]

Gardening

I will look into that now dizzy thanks for the tip, I was thinking of making some kind of raised beds but didnt know what I was going to fill it with, dirt wise I mean. This thread is such a lovely idea.

[spacebebe01]

Gardening

I just looked at buying soil, I have never bought soil before, how much do I need, one place sells it in 900kg bags, how much is that, I will look around more, can I just use compost, I dont want to have to get big amounts of soil delivered