Home Garden 2024 / 2025

[Bubba_s]

According to my Sunset Western Garden book, it's getting near time to start planting!!

I focus on edible veggies but please share what you are doing in your gardens, friends gardens, community gardens, whatever!!

So far I have red and white onions and garlic planted. The garlic was from a pack of organic garlic from the store. Every single clove I planted came up and are now almost a foot tall. The onions came in bundles of 50 and they are doing great too.

For the onions, I plant them a bit closer together than suggested. This allows me to start picking and using them when I just need a little onion. After thinning them like this I just take as needed. Then I'll let the rest bulb out so I can pick and cure them later. I do this with garlic too, usually if we ran out, I'll just take some immature and it does the trick (Not quite the same but we don't care.

I have a 3' by 12' raised bed that I prepped just prior to the recent storm. It'll be nice and watered in for all of the seeds I will be planting. I'm hoping to make this my best, most productive year yet.

So what are you growing this year?

 

[auntiebling]

i still have one tomato plant, that looks kinda dead but isn't, from last year

there are also potatoes growing in the back raised bed, planted a month or so ago, because i brought some forgotten potatoes that had sprouted home from visiting my mom and my kids wanted something to do one day because apparently I am the source of all entertainment and planting their toys in the garden wouldn't go over well... so we planted potatoes.

 

[Grissom]

I have a raised bed which had tomatos, peppers and assorted herbs (2023)

Currently only have a neighborhood cat(s) that seems to be making use of it but I love cats... however I need reclaim, clean and plant

So I am interested as to what you are planting now because I normally wait until around Easter

 

[stangmx13]

The wife and I kinda went HAM on gardening during the pandemic. We have 6 raised beds with drip in the backyard and a few pots. The smallest bed is 3' round and the largest is 6'x9' IIRC. I didn't plant anything this winter, but we'll definitely be planting again in a few weeks for spring. I can't remember what's best for shoulder months down here. But by summer I'll definitely have green beans, squash, and melons again.

I still have a few plants that have survived San Diego "winter". None have produced anything since Nov, but they'll spring back quickly in March.
- sungold cherry tomato
- some saucing tomato
- habanero pepper
- bell pepper
- jalapeno
- sage
- mint
- strawberry
- oregano

 

[Bubba_s]

i still have one tomato plant, that looks kinda dead but isn't, from last year

there are also potatoes growing in the back raised bed, planted a month or so ago, because i brought some forgotten potatoes that had sprouted home from visiting my mom and my kids wanted something to do one day because apparently I am the source of all entertainment and planting their toys in the garden wouldn't go over well... so we planted potatoes.

You just reminded me, I have a jalapeno that is going through it's second winter. It's pretty scraggly but I hope it makes a comeback and turns into a bush that I can cover every year. Kind an experiment. Last year I left it and forgot about it until I saw it sprouting new leaves. This winter I covered it and it is hanging on. This winter did not get very cold for us so I know it's one 25 degree night from perishing. We'll see.

I have an image of your kids planning to plant toys in order to grow more toys. I love it!!

I have a potato looking at me in our pantry that needs to be planted, potatoes I've only done once and I want to try again. I think I'll put the pantry-tato into my compost bin and see what happens.

I have a raised bed which had tomatos, peppers and assorted herbs (2023)

Currently only have a neighborhood cat(s) that seems to be making use of it but I love cats... however I need reclaim, clean and plant

So I am interested as to what you are planting now because I normally wait until around Easter

My gardening guru seems to think it's a bit early but I'm going for it this weekend, if not sooner. My Sunset book tells me my Feb is time to plant a bunch of things, sorry, I only remember lettuces off hand. I'll post my list later of stuff I put in. I'm in zone 2 FWIW.

The wife and I kinda went HAM on gardening during the pandemic. We have 6 raised beds with drip in the backyard and a few pots. The smallest bed is 3' round and the largest is 6'x9' IIRC. I didn't plant anything this winter, but we'll definitely be planting again in a few weeks for spring. I can't remember what's best for shoulder months down here. But by summer I'll definitely have green beans, squash, and melons again.

I still have a few plants that have survived San Diego "winter". None have produced anything since Nov, but they'll spring back quickly in March.
- sungold cherry tomato
- some saucing tomato
- habanero pepper
- bell pepper
- jalapeno
- sage
- mint
- strawberry
- oregano

Very cool that you can keep stuff going down there. Reminds me I really want to get a strawberry patch going.

I think I might grown some of my own starts indoors under a light this year. Like tomatoes and peppers. Most other things I start outside as seeds.

My biggest predator is our vegetable and dirt loving Griffon/Lab mix. She loves the smell of compost in the morning. So my beds look like fortresses. Makes tending the garden that much harder. Last year she ate most of my best bell peppers, she hadn'tdone that before. She has decimated carrots, she loves them.

 

[stangmx13]

Very cool that you can keep stuff going down there. Reminds me I really want to get a strawberry patch going.

I think I might grown some of my own starts indoors under a light this year. Like tomatoes and peppers. Most other things I start outside as seeds.

My biggest predator is our vegetable and dirt loving Griffon/Lab mix. She loves the smell of compost in the morning. So my beds look like fortresses. Makes tending the garden that much harder. Last year she ate most of my best bell peppers, she hadn'tdone that before. She has decimated carrots, she loves them.

My strawberry patch has only produced a handful of strawberries in 3yrs. I havent figured out why just yet. The plants are healthy with large leaves, but never many berries. Ive tried more water and more fertilizer, but no noticeable result. Maybe I have them planted in the wrong spot.

I use these GE grow lights inside. They work well and are cost effective compared to others.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NNR9DLX/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NNT3G7J/

I get raccoons, possum, skunks, and rats in my backyard. Most seedlings just disappear, probably fully eaten. And larger plants may get dug up as the larger animals search for grubs. It's a never ending battle!

 

[berth]

We get random strawberries out of a couple of pots we've been running. We tend to have bad luck with vegetables and the like. We tried raised beds.

One year we had a bunch of beans, then one week, they all died. We had a nice pumpkin plant going, but I guess it was never fertilized. Never had much luck with tomatoes.

Tried corn, tried berries.

Now I've stopped trying.

 

[GAJ]

I only have two raised beds that are something like 5 feet wide by 12 feet long.

Planted some garlic already, two varieties, but only three weeks or so ago and they are already coming up.

I'll probably plant Tomatoes in the other half and then the second bed will be all hot peppers.

Potatoes have worked well in the past as well.

Bought some of this to put down as the damned squirrels keep digging up the beds looking for peanuts that we ostensibly put out for the Crows/Jays/Acorn Woodpeckers.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/YARDGAR...Garden-Fence-Hardware-Cloth-889250A/202024123

you can see the size from this old photo, so not big at all but we have very limited sun in mostly shaded narrow back yard.

 

[Bubba_s]

My strawberry patch has only produced a handful of strawberries in 3yrs. I havent figured out why just yet. The plants are healthy with large leaves, but never many berries. Ive tried more water and more fertilizer, but no noticeable result. Maybe I have them planted in the wrong spot.

I use these GE grow lights inside. They work well and are cost effective compared to others.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NNR9DLX/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NNT3G7J/

I get raccoons, possum, skunks, and rats in my backyard. Most seedlings just disappear, probably fully eaten. And larger plants may get dug up as the larger animals search for grubs. It's a never ending battle!

I've got a decent small, 4 bulb set up going with a dome over other seedlings I am growing. If you're not using a heat mat I strongly recommend it. That light PLUS a nice warm mat underneath works wonders.

As for animal problems, I think our dogs keep most of them away. There is a possum that strolls by atop our fence. It drives our beagle/lab mix crazy. Beagles make horrible noises sometimes.

We get random strawberries out of a couple of pots we've been running. We tend to have bad luck with vegetables and the like. We tried raised beds.

One year we had a bunch of beans, then one week, they all died. We had a nice pumpkin plant going, but I guess it was never fertilized. Never had much luck with tomatoes.

Tried corn, tried berries.

Now I've stopped trying.

Beans: Those usually grow well once they get going. Gotta pick them before they get woody.
Tomatoes: I've had bad luck with them for years, I need to figure it out because we use a lot and they are $$ at stores these days.
Corn: I have tried but we don't eat enough of it. It's pretty cheap at stores if we want some. It takes up a lot of space for not much results IMHO.
Pumpkins: I've only ever grown them when they volunteered. One year we had three huge ones that were ready by Halloween, that was cool.
Berries: I'd like to try raspberries, not F'ing with blackberries, those things take over.

I only have two raised beds that are something like 5 feet wide by 12 feet long.

Planted some garlic already, two varieties, but only three weeks or so ago and they are already coming up.

I'll probably plant Tomatoes in the other half and then the second bed will be all hot peppers.

Potatoes have worked well in the past as well.

Bought some of this to put down as the damned squirrels keep digging up the beds looking for peanuts that we ostensibly put out for the Crows/Jays/Acorn Woodpeckers.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/YARDGAR...Garden-Fence-Hardware-Cloth-889250A/202024123

you can see the size from this old photo, so not big at all but we have very limited sun in mostly shaded narrow back yard.

Thankfully we don't have squirrels. Fun to look at but they can be a huge pain I hear.

 

[mean dad]

I have 3 strawberry plants that are worthless as far as producing tasty fruit goes. I have to put hella sugar on 'em compared to store bought.
But they stay green and make lots of bright red strawberries so I leave it there.

Also want to try purple potatoes this year.

 

[stangmx13]

I've got a decent small, 4 bulb set up going with a dome over other seedlings I am growing. If you're not using a heat mat I strongly recommend it. That light PLUS a nice warm mat underneath works wonders.

Everything grows faster with the heat mat?

Does the heat mat help with leggy seedlings?

 

[Bubba_s]

Everything grows faster with the heat mat?

Does the heat mat help with leggy seedlings?

Heat mat will have seedlings popping up quick!! It's the heat that simulates sun warmed soil (Someone smarter can confirm for sure). Have the seed trays as close to the light as possible. Fluorescents will not be too hot, but the light will be concentrated on the plants.

 

[berth]

Tomatoes: I've had bad luck with them for years, I need to figure it out because we use a lot and they are $$ at stores these days.

How many folks are doing this to save money? I've never felt they saved me any money (even if the ones we did have happened to actually produce).

I guess tomato seeds are only a couple bucks, and, typically, when they go, they go gang busters. Then you're up to your eyeballs in fruit -- hope you like canning marinara sauce!

 

[Bubba_s]

LOL, I have canned in the past. Generally I grow stuff that costs more at the store. I probably spend $30-40 total including soil and water for tomatoes. If I can figure out how to grow them good, I'll save a lot. But saving is just a small part of it. Being able to go out and pick whatever you need when you need it is worth lots of $$ to me.

 

[mean dad]

I typically get more tomatoes than I can use. I think I cut down to 2 tomatoes and 1 tomatillo last year and still wasted a bunch.
Definitely gonna try canning (well, jarring to be honest) this year.

 

[GAJ]

I typically get more tomatoes than I can use. I think I cut down to 2 tomatoes and 1 tomatillo last year and still wasted a bunch.
Definitely gonna try canning (well, jarring to be honest) this year.

If you have a food dehydrator you can make your own "sun dried" tomatoes.

 

[mean dad]

A regular oven at the lowest setting is supposed work in a pinch. Gonna try some peppers that way this year.

Or you know, let them dry in the sun.

 

[Bubba_s]

I use our dehydrator for all of the extra plums we get. I cut them up so they are more "Dried plums" than prunes. My issue is I like the idea of having some for later, the kids eat them up within a day of them being finished. I'm glad they like them though.

Here are some pics from last year just for fun. The guavas were picked about two months ago though.

 

[mean dad]

Nice yield!

 

[Grissom]

I use our dehydrator for all of the extra plums we get. I cut them up so they are more "Dried plums" than prunes. My issue is I like the idea of having some for later, the kids eat them up within a day of them being finished. I'm glad they like them though.

Here are some pics from last year just for fun. The guavas were picked about two months ago though.

We have a Pineapple Guava tree but my wife does not like them but our dog loves them

Are the onions grown in the ground or raised bed?

I planted a prune tree (forget if its the Italian or French variety) about 10yrs ago. Get lots of blossoms and even some very very tiny looking fruit but they never get any bigger and drop. Tree was supposed to be self fertile so I don't know whats up with it