The Urban Garden Thread

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I can't remember the variety, but my wife said these ones don't grow that big. We did have some giants in the back yard years ago before renovating. There are always pruning sheers if needed!

You don't really want to prune them as they bloom at the top and end of the vines. Better to wrap them around.

[Fuzz]

This is how big they were last year, planted about 5 years ago, so I'm not too worried. They are a shade variety, and that area only gets a little morning sun. Man, I had already forgotten how bad that red "brick" looked!

[Nyah]

Bump

How's everyone's urban gardens doing? I'm getting a ton of yield from all of my plants, likely thanks of the heat.

1. Chili / pepper plants have absolutely exploded this year. We have Arapaho, Habanero, Serrano, Thai Red Chili’s, Purple Beauty and Pepperoncini. They’re all producing a ton of fruit and are nuclear spicy, especially the Serrano’s. We tried planting Ghost Peppers, but none of the flowers have taken and we have no production from it. Not sure what the issue is, but I don’t think that we’ll try those again.

2. Tomato plants are the same as the chili’s, I have great luck with those every year. We start them in April using West Cost Seeds, the cherry tomatoes are my favourite.

3. Our squash garden is producing okay, but we are having issues with that white, powdery mildew. Has anyone had success keeping that stuff under control?

The rest of the garden is so incredible this year. We have a bunch of purple dead nettle growing randomly around the backyard and it’s providing great ground cover, and the bees love it. Our other veggies (beans, onions, cucumbers, potatoes, etc.) are doing also really well. We even have a couple of absolutely massive cannabis plants that came in randomly in our tomato garden this year. We’ve never planted cannabis in that garden, so I suppose I have birds to thank for this one. The plants are legit taller than I am

Hope everyone is having as much luck this year, it’s been a hot one!

[undercoverbrother]

We planted two green bean plants and they have gone nuts!

Luckily we love fresh green beans.

Tomatoes have also produced a bumper crop. We have frozen a tonne of the cherry tomatoes and we seem to have this miniature beefsteak tomato, which has produces a lot of meaty tomatoes the size of plumbs, really tasty.

Our Kale is also off the charts, been really enjoying fresh Kale salad all summer.

The plan is to expand next year.

[Nyah]

Beans are awesome. I have a bunch of runner beans, we plant them to attract bees and because they look great when they climb and fill things in with green. I usually keep the beans and dry them out to plant the following year. I've never grown green beans though, might look into that next year.

[Torture]

Had the first tomato off the vine for breakfast this morning - it was incredible.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Nyah

Bump

How's everyone's urban gardens doing? I'm getting a ton of yield from all of my plants, likely thanks of the heat.

1. Chili / pepper plants have absolutely exploded this year. We have Arapaho, Habanero, Serrano, Thai Red Chili’s, Purple Beauty and Pepperoncini. They’re all producing a ton of fruit and are nuclear spicy, especially the Serrano’s. We tried planting Ghost Peppers, but none of the flowers have taken and we have no production from it. Not sure what the issue is, but I don’t think that we’ll try those again.

2. Tomato plants are the same as the chili’s, I have great luck with those every year. We start them in April using West Cost Seeds, the cherry tomatoes are my favourite.

3. Our squash garden is producing okay, but we are having issues with that white, powdery mildew. Has anyone had success keeping that stuff under control?

The rest of the garden is so incredible this year. We have a bunch of purple dead nettle growing randomly around the backyard and it’s providing great ground cover, and the bees love it. Our other veggies (beans, onions, cucumbers, potatoes, etc.) are doing also really well. We even have a couple of absolutely massive cannabis plants that came in randomly in our tomato garden this year. We’ve never planted cannabis in that garden, so I suppose I have birds to thank for this one. The plants are legit taller than I am

Hope everyone is having as much luck this year, it’s been a hot one!

Try not to water squash plants, cucumbers as well, in the evening. Also, they don't like to be watered from the top. Try to use a wand and water from below the leaves.

[DoubleF]

Cannabis with the tomatoes? Canadian tomacco Simpsons episode inspiration?

Cool stuff. I miss having a garden. But I'm not interested in digging up my landscaping for just enough space for a few small plants.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Nyah

I've never grown green beans though, might look into that next year.

We had them against the back fence so the sun bounced off and they loved it.

[Doctorfever]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

We planted two green bean plants and they have gone nuts!

Luckily we love fresh green beans.

Tomatoes have also produced a bumper crop. We have frozen a tonne of the cherry tomatoes and we seem to have this miniature beefsteak tomato, which has produces a lot of meaty tomatoes the size of plumbs, really tasty.

Our Kale is also off the charts, been really enjoying fresh Kale salad all summer.

The plan is to expand next year.

What is the process to freezing the tomatoes? I haven’t done that before.
Do you use them in sauces?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

What is the process to freezing the tomatoes? I haven’t done that before.
Do you use them in sauces?

You put the cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan and freeze them.

We use them all winter in pastas, not tomato sauces, but we have a few quick recipes that are only a few ingredients and tomatoes are one. They taste great.

We never use them in "traditional tomato sauce",

for example a recipe like this, I do one similar

https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/pa...erry-tomatoes/

We throw them in frozen

[Fuzz]

We don't even bother with a sheet pan. Toss them in a big ziplock, and straight into the freezer. As long as you don't mash them about before they freeze, they stay separate. We just add to the bag as they get ripe.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

We don't even bother with a sheet pan. Toss them in a big ziplock, and straight into the freezer. As long as you don't mash them about before they freeze, they stay separate. We just add to the bag as they get ripe.

peasant

[Fuzz]

#peasantlife

[DoubleF]

I should probably water my goji/wolf berry that I planted last year. It's the only thing other than the apple tree I have that produces edible plant material. Once that goji takes hold, it'll be as crazy as raspberry and rhubarb, but taller and bigger. I see many people with them and they get to like 14 feet high and 6-8 feet wide (or more if you don't control them. I don't think those with them in their yards typically know what they have. Goji will grow in back alleys like rhubarb and raspberries if you give them a chance.

The leaves are great in soups, kinda like spinach but hardier. I don't think the texture and taste is as good as spinach raw. I've never tried stir frying the leaves.

The berries that grow here aren't as sweet vs the commercially dried ones you can buy, but are still within 80-90% sweetness. Fresh, I find they actually work well in salads without being overbearingly sweet like blueberries etc.

I'm heavily contemplating ripping out some plants in my front yard, transplanting plants in the back to the front and setting up a garden space + sprinkler system. This thread makes me miss being a green thumb and reminds me of the times I used to grow stuff with my parents and Canadian grandparents in Coaldale, Winnipeg, Lethbridge and Calgary. Some fruit trees would be awesome as well (ie: Experimenting with plums, pears and cherries).

My back yard was so nicely landscaped, I feel bad ripping things out... but the stuff I'd replace it with would be just as nice and I think I'd just straight up enjoy it more than lilies, mock orange, lily of the valley, roses, pine, apples etc. Plus my wife would be angry that the backyard looks worse next summer while the plants are still getting settled.

=/ decisions decisions.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

We don't even bother with a sheet pan. Toss them in a big ziplock, and straight into the freezer. As long as you don't mash them about before they freeze, they stay separate. We just add to the bag as they get ripe.

Just make sure to pick off the greens and give them a rinse before you freeze. I know some people don't do that with apples and saskatoons and it's a pain to clean once frozen.

Dolgo crab apple or other meh apples are actually great for winter ciders and worth freezing. Saskatoons good in pies, meh in smoothies vs blueberries due to the types of seeds in them.

The Haskap at my parents place... 15 years later we still haven't been able to harvest. The birds fricken know they're delicious and get them even we put mesh on it. We just gave up. (Bought some Haskap in Kelowna... extra annoyed the birds get to enjoy them instead of us).

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

I should probably water my goji/wolf berry that I planted last year. It's the only thing other than the apple tree I have that produces edible plant material. Once that goji takes hold, it'll be as crazy as raspberry and rhubarb, but taller and bigger. I see many people with them and they get to like 14 feet high and 6-8 feet wide (or more if you don't control them. I don't think those with them in their yards typically know what they have. Goji will grow in back alleys like rhubarb and raspberries if you give them a chance.

The leaves are great in soups, kinda like spinach but hardier. I don't think the texture and taste is as good as spinach raw. I've never tried stir frying the leaves.

The berries that grow here aren't as sweet vs the commercially dried ones you can buy, but are still within 80-90% sweetness. Fresh, I find they actually work well in salads without being overbearingly sweet like blueberries etc.

I'm heavily contemplating ripping out some plants in my front yard, transplanting plants in the back to the front and setting up a garden space + sprinkler system. This thread makes me miss being a green thumb and reminds me of the times I used to grow stuff with my parents and Canadian grandparents in Coaldale, Winnipeg, Lethbridge and Calgary. Some fruit trees would be awesome as well (ie: Experimenting with plums, pears and cherries).

My back yard was so nicely landscaped, I feel bad ripping things out... but the stuff I'd replace it with would be just as nice and I think I'd just straight up enjoy it more than lilies, mock orange, lily of the valley, roses, pine, apples etc. Plus my wife would be angry that the backyard looks worse next summer while the plants are still getting settled.

=/ decisions decisions.

Sounds like my wife, she reorganizes our berry bushes and shrubs like some people reorganize their living room. But it's much harder work than moving a couch! Currently in the process of removing a large chunk of our hedge, and relocating all the berry shrubs from the lawn to the hedge location. I think we may try some random xeriscape patches where the bushes were. Hate to just plant grass seed.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Sounds like my wife, she reorganizes our berry bushes and shrubs like some people reorganize their living room. But it's much harder work than moving a couch! Currently in the process of removing a large chunk of our hedge, and relocating all the berry shrubs from the lawn to the hedge location. I think we may try some random xeriscape patches where the bushes were. Hate to just plant grass seed.

I have to rip out some trees that randomly died on me. Might as well rip out the other because it's the type of tree that could damage a foundation.

Honestly for the stuff in the back, I could elect to just chuck out, but the front flower bed would just be empty after the trees are ripped out. Plus it wouldn't be the worst thing to have stuff come back year after year with basically no upkeep in the front (the stuff I'd be ripping out from the back). Saves me from doing a dozen weeks of a completely full green bin and the stuff I transplant I don't have to question whether it has a chance of survival in our climate.


Why not just do combos of clover and local wildflower mixes instead of grass? Who cares if you mow into it into the future. It'll bounce back within a few days of being hit by a mower.

[Doctorfever]

Wildflowers are great, I planted some this spring and they are doing well. Good for the bees and butterflies as well.

Definitely something more people should introduce if they have the space for them.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

Wildflowers are great, I planted some this spring and they are doing well. Good for the bees and butterflies as well.

Definitely something more people should introduce if they have the space for them.

I grabbed 2 packages and planted this spring. I only read the instructions a few weeks ago and discovered some seeds will need to be sorta dormant or meh for a year to settle and won't take until next growing season. Packages too small too. I should have bought half a dozen and shrewn them everywhere. I'll grab a few additional packages and put them in during the fall so that they have a chance to do their thing over winter and will start growing in the fall and planting more stuff under the pine that will survive (bleeding hearts, peonies etc.). Fingers crossed most of them do well next year and fingers crossed I find 3-4 days time to do the entirety of this project.

I thought all the clover I planted last year had not taken, but I'm starting to see some patches pop up in the last few weeks. Hopefully they expand next year from the shaded area and start moving forwards towards the sunny area where everything keeps dying (even grass seed that "only needs water"). I'm feeling optimistic.