Comments on: Veggie Garden Planning!

By: Scoops

Scoops — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 03:26:19 +0000

In reply to Rachel.

I know, I’m with you Rachel. I thought it grew as a big leafy mound as well. Then I had a friend who has had a veggie garden for awhile (also in Minneapolis) tell me that he trellised his and it works great, his garden was a mess without the trellis. I am worried about the mount of space. I think that I will only put one plant in, and if it starts to take over the garden I’ll just take it out – I guess there’s no harm in that, and then I’ll know if it works or not. Pole beans on a chain links sounds like a pretty good idea, I grew the cucumbers on ours, but now we don’t have the chain link so I am growing them on an a-frame trellis this year. I’ll let you guys know what I find out about the soil testing.

By: Scoops

Scoops — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 03:23:33 +0000

In reply to Martha.

Hey Martha, Cool to hear! I like that panty hose idea. I’ve heard from a few people that say they’ve done this – so I think I’m gonna try it. I guess the worst thing that can happen is that it doesn’t work and I don’t try it again next year.

By: Scoops

Scoops — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 03:22:36 +0000

In reply to Amy G..

Baah! That is so awesome Amy! I’m happy that you guys like these gardening posts, and that you specifically are feeling confident enough to try a garden for yourself. Do it, you’ll enjoy it. Don’t get discouraged – it’s all just trial and error.

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 03:56:05 +0000

Don’t forget the bok choy! My own Gus (he’s 12) almost died when we served bok choy for dinner tonight. He suffers when I cook.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 15:39:34 +0000

A quick google search shows me some people talking about trellising zucchini but I really can’t imagine how that works. The plant is very much like a bush, its gets huge, but all the long leaves are coming from the central root. It doesn’t have climbing tendrils like a cucumber either. I always make the mistake of planting too close and losing plants under the zucchini. I give it at least a 3’x3′ space (unless there are special compact varieties?)
I ran out of space in my raised veggie beds last year and planted a zucchini in the front yard perennial bed. Provided some nice green color behind the flowers :) Have to be creative on small city lots.
I run pole beans up my chain link fence, outside of the garden beds. I just turned over a 6 inch wide strip of ground at the base of the fence and mulched them once the beans came up to keep weeds down. They are very hardy and mine have been reseeding themselves in that location since I have been lazy about picking all the beans. I planted some morning glories along with them for color in the vines.
I would be interested in hearing more about soil PH testing. I have thought about doing that as well.
Yay for spring!

By: Martha

Martha — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 09:51:55 +0000

My aunt (one of the best gardeners i know) has done winter squash on a trellis and it seems to work very well. She often takes old pantyhose or net bags from onions to suspend the growing fruit to the trellis so that it doesn’t fall off and break. I think I read somewhere that Thomas Jefferson grew squash on trellises at Monticello!

By: Amy G.

Amy G. — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 22:17:39 +0000

Yay! I love following along with your planting! I’m going to do a garden for the first time this year, and I have definitely gone through some of your old gardening posts for inspiration and tips :) I was hoping you would post this update soon!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 14:37:41 +0000

Hey if you’re interested in doing a little building my dad had a pyramid planter at the center of the garden to plant multiple herbs and keep them from getting buried under other plants (he installed a rotating sprinkler at the top too so it watered most of the garden). Something like this: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/534450680753116479/ . We always grew zucchini on the ground and once you get it going you better have some friends that love zucchini. We also had corn (amazing), and tomatoes & peppers that grew on those cage/tower things which takes up less square footage. My parents have since moved and my dad made new raised bed gardens and had it planned out by the beginning of February….