Vegetable Garden

I mostly grow tomatoes and herbs. Each year I figure I'll skip the tomatoes, but I wind up growing them anyway. I find I can get better veggies in the market, but I love cooking with fresh herbs.

Alta,

My strawberry bushes cover my whole garden and in fact I've been eating strawberries for about ten days now.

What I suggest you try for fun (and strawberries) is what I do. I plant my vegetables (young plants, not seeds) right through the strawberry plants. This year I planted full size tomatoes (Big Boy or Better Boy) and cherry tomatoes (maybe Supersonic), Green Peppers, Cucumbers (against the wall), broccoli and some cabbage.

I gave up on corn this year because I never had any success (possibly because my yard sits here in the middle of NYC) even though I get sun all day long. There must be some insect missing or possibly Corn prefers horse manure to cat manure.

So far this Spring the weather has been a perfect mix of rain and sunny days. Good luck with your garden.

Derek

Alta, do you start them from seeds, or buy them already started? Where do you get them?

Since we moved into our new house (almost 2 years now), we haven't planted anything... I still have to clear out some space. However, I used to grow beefsteak and cherry tomatoes (a must in NJ), cucumbers and peppers. I tried carrots, but they didn't take too well.

quote:

Originally posted by acaronianasa:
I plant my vegetables (young plants, not seeds) right through the strawberry plants.

Do you have any problems with the plants getting "strangled" or shaded out? Actually, my daughters love the idea of having strawberries and I'm sure they'll be upset with me if I yank them out.

quote:

I gave up on corn this year because I never had any success

Did you plant the corn in rows? The successful pollination of corn actually requires that it be planted in rows.

Thanks for the feedback

quote:

Originally posted by mwagner7700:
Alta, do you start them from seeds, or buy them already started? Where do you get them?

The tomatoes, peppers, and herbs are all from plants. The beans are from seeds and they grow fast. If beans are planted early enough you'll usually have time to plant more seeds in the mid-summer for some crop in the early Fall. The strawberries were also from plants and they seem to spread out. I've found that they can be "trained" on which way to go. However, if I decide to keep the strawberries for the sake of my daughters, I may try acaronianasa's idea of planting through the strawberries. I buy them from a local "feed barn" or a nursery. The big box stores like Home Depot usually have vegetable plants as well but I avoid those stores because I am "anti-big box" and I don't think the plant quality or variety is good.

Alta,

The strawberries stay low. I have two kinds, the little mountain strawberries that bloom all summer and the big ones that stop giving strawberries after the early spring. The vegetables grow right up over them and the strawberries become a ground cover that keeps weeds from growing (somewhat).

I had to plant the corn in triangles and I tried to pollinate them myself. I got some ears but nothing to rival New Jersey or Iowa. This year in the corn spot I put two peach trees which are supposedly hearty enough to survive NY winters.

Derek

I have a small vegetable garden and I grow:
Brandywine and cherry tomatoes
Zuchinni (more for the flower than the vegetable)
Jalapeno and Habarnero peppers
Rosemary, thyme, parsley, chives, cilantro, oregano, sage and basil.

I really enjoy having the fresh herbs at my disposal.

I should do more, but just basic stuff for my needs:

Basil
Parsely
Tomatoes

This year I have

Tomatos

Mr Stripeys
Alot of Roma plants
Tomatillos
Big Beefsteaks


Zuchcinni both for flowes and veggie
Pickling Cucumbers for making cornichons, dills,sweets, I planted a few rows

Anchos, Jalapños, Habañeros

Ultra Cool Hybrid Watermelon and
Sugarbaby Watermelon, i'm hoping to get the bee's to polinate and make the Ultras seedless.

Oh and herb garden is almost done too


Next year, my little vineyard and more crops !