Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Just started my 2012 tomatoes & carrot seedlings.
Also plan to grow WAY more potatoes this year then last.
This is a link to my public garden photos. Take a look & let me know what you think.
I'd love to see other people's garden photos as well.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 145&type=3

Thanks,
Karak

I'm an intensive gardener and have had some amazing gardens over the years. Once, I had a gardener's dream situation a few years back on five acres with a greenhouse and everything. When I get a report about it up on my website below, I'll give a link to it here.

This year, I'm doing Early Girl, Brandywine, and Sweet 100's tomatoes, sweat peas, corn, cilantro, parsley, lemongrass, red chard, lettuces, peppermint, spearmint, lemonbalm, and anything else I can find space for in my landscape.

Baby Herc

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http://allthoughtsworkoutdoors.wordpress.com/

That sounds amazing! What growing zone are you in? I'm zone 7.
Are you rain water harvesting? I collect approx. 200 gals every time it rains.

Did you can or preserve any of the tomatoes? I froze mine last year but will try to can some tomato sauce because I'm
sick of all the "natural spices" (HA!) & HFCS listed on every single jar.

I'm no good at lettuces - the rabbits eat everything. How to you protect against varmints?

Yup, I' m an avid gardener, always trying to make use of the little good space I have. Presently have tomatos (much taller than me), spinach, sorrrel, kale, capsicums, herbs, strawberries, corn on the go in my 1x3m plot plus a few pots. I am also fortunate enough to have a couple of plum trees and a persimmon in the back yard.

My dream is to buy out of city property with about 8 acres which I will spend my days developing into a permaculture heaven, plus a completely off the grid home.

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Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential.
- Bruce Lee

My GF is in Alphabet City. I just showed her these plans for a salad Table We're gonna build a it on her balcony
http://www.hgic.umd.edu/_media/documents/hg601.pdf

I love plums but have sooo many squirrels They eat everything, how do you keep them out've the trees?

Persimmon trees?!?! OMG! How old is your tree? What are the water requirements?
I espaliered 2 pears - they require approx. 55 gals of water a day for fruit setting. Due to loss of European Honey bees I pollinate the trees myself.

Started spinach & arugula seeds tonight

I'd love to go off the grid & will do so in the near future

In hopes of getting more garden discussion I'm posting a pic of my artichokes.
I've been growing them along side Cardoons for a few years in Zone 7.

Zone 8 here, about to plant my third garden. Sweet 100s, mint, and basil have been our best crops. This year I'm moving the herbs into pots I can bring inside in cooler months. Sweet 100s and Brandywine tomatoes have been started, and assorted bell peppers, jalapenos, Burpless Cucumbers, and blueberries are ready. We want to add a few trees, but haven't decided what other than lemons and lime. The eventual goal is to have an edible landscape.

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Blessed be!
Sherrie

Getting healthier one day at a time
http://www.sherriet.blogspot.com

Sweet 100s? I've never heard of that before. Any chance you have pics?
Have you ever heard of a Sweet Lime aka Limetta? http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/mort ... _lime.html
I bought some the other day & would love to try growing one but it's to cold here.

Love that you are going for fruit trees
My rule of thumb is: Plant what you will eat.

wahminsc - I forgot to mention that I'm only watering my seedlings w/rain water. It's WAY better for the babies, they just can't handle the floride in Tap Water. Give it a try, you might be shocked at what a difference it makes.

The plan is to put in two rain barrels this year. Last year I cheated somewhat and would put out storage tubs for rain collection on rainy days. Sweet 100s are an easy tomato plant. We plant in raised beds and planted them about 1 1/2 feet deep for strong roots. They took a while to fruit, but when they did, we had handfuls of tomatoes every 3-4 days from three plants.

http://www.burpeehomegardens.com/VegetableHerbGardening/PlantDetails.aspx?plantid=5098

That Sweet Lime is pretty! There's a fantastic garden center here that stocks just about everything that grows well here.

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Blessed be!
Sherrie

Getting healthier one day at a time
http://www.sherriet.blogspot.com

Thanks for the info on Sweet 100s.
-btw- if you have tons of cherry tomatoes in the summer, they are super easy to
grill/roast. Then when they've cold down, put them in freezer bags & store in the freezer.
There is nothing better then pulling out a bag of "YOUR" homegrown veggies in winter & heating
them up. I only have one bag left So this summer I plan to grow over 10 different tomato types.

Before you buy expensive RBs from HomeDepot check w/your local community. They might offer
recycle pickle barrels for a lot less money. They aren't as pretty as some of the store kind but they will save you $$$$

Thanks for the storage tip. You can do the same with regular tomatoes by cutting them into four pieces, then filling up freezer bags until you're ready for chili, guacamole, and bruschetta in January. By November, my tiny freezer is so jam packed with tomatoes, blackberries, and applesauce, there's almost no room left for ice!

Note: Sweet 100's are not picky. They will grow practically anywhere, anytime. Last summer, Portland had the shortest growing season I have ever seen, maybe two months. I planted a Sweet 100 in crap clay and still got all the cherry tomatoes I could eat.

Baby Herc

_________________
Power [][][][][][][][][][]
Speed [][]
Stamina [][][][][][]
Smarts [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
http://allthoughtsworkoutdoors.wordpress.com/

We built one of our beds, converted wooden storage shelf as a second, and a third came with the house.

Thanks for the storage tip. Those babies are fantastic on the grill. If I had my way, we'd grow more tomatoes and throw in some eggplant and zucchini. Our strawberry attempt failed, but we're going to try again. Eventually.

_________________
Blessed be!
Sherrie

Getting healthier one day at a time
http://www.sherriet.blogspot.com

I just discovered a great use for recycled plastic bread bags (and other strong plastic bags). Cut them crosswise in 1 1/2" widths so that you have loops, then cut the loops open to make strips. You can roll these into ropes and use them over and over again to tie up tomatoes, beans, peas, and other lightweight veggies, they wash off well at the end of the season. Don't use on woody plants, the plastic isn't rigid enough to do the job.

Baby Herc

_________________
Power [][][][][][][][][][]
Speed [][]
Stamina [][][][][][]
Smarts [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
http://allthoughtsworkoutdoors.wordpress.com/

This year I'm going to grow Beefsteaks specifically for canning. I'm also dedicating 1 rain barrel to them alone.

I picked up this book at the Library: Making Your Small Farm Profitable.
I'm not planning on starting a farm but the information is unbelievable.
Check & see if your local library has a copy. It's worth a read to serious gardeners.