My "garden" consists of four pots of herbs and our flowerbed. I got my first crop of spearmint today. I strung it out on some string, and have it drying in the front window. Once dried, I think it'll make lovely tea.

I occasionally munch on our stevia, but it's not producing a ton of leaves to dry.

The rosemary is not growing very much, but it's healthy, and it smells lovely.

The flower beds are okay. . . I don't have a lot of time or energy to work them like I should.

Bella, it's too bad that your garden isn't yielding a lot besides the peppers; has it been the weather, do you think?

I don't know if this can count as gardening since I don't do anything with them during the year, but we have a huge crop of wild blackberries this summer. It's late this year, but it's huge and has been going for a couple of weeks now. I pick most evenings and usually run out of light before I finish two of the four patches. In addition to a cobbler and two pies and giving away a lot, we've also frozen 8 bags or so; I'm supposed to go over to a classmate's house on Wednesday and learn how to make blackberry jelly, which'll be fun. I keep expecting the patches to dry up, but it looks like I'll still be picking at least through this week unless something catastrophic happens to them.

ValiantArcher, I'm super jealous as I LOVE blackberries and I don't think there's really any foraging (of wild fruit) to be done in my neighborhood, unless I were to steal my neighbor's pears. A lot of the yards up and down the street have fruiting pear trees. I wonder if back in the 60's and 70's some unscrupulous nursery sold fruiting pears as ornamental pears and everyone planted them thinking their were Bradfords.

I wait for it to nearly expire indoors, then place it in that brown earth and see what happens. Most have flourished; some have done so-so, but the coolest thing is to see a limp, dying plant rejuvenate again once out-of-doors.

Isn't that borderline miraculous Jo? I occasionally get nearly dead plants from work and they almost always thrive once they're in the soil. Plants certainly do best in the ground. And even my house plants which have to stay in their pots do better outside in the sun and wind.

I put them in the hammocks and everything (pictures will be coming....). They are so adorable and cute, and they're just growing every day and adfjkajfk ... I'd better stop.

Oh, I do want to see pictures! I didn't know you were supposed to do that with watermelon. I'd never heard of such a thing.

I'm about to be inundated with tomatoes myself. My Juliet Hybrid and Sungold have been going crazy for a few weeks now. In fact, my tomatoes and outgrown their rings and are all falling over so the veg garden isn't very attractive right now. I wish there was something I could do about that. Next year I'll just have taller rings I guess. Also, I made pesto last week with my own basil. That's pretty satisfying. ^_^

As for what's blooming in my flower bed's right now. The black and blue salvia has started coming into it's own. The cannas are just starting and the unusual blackberry lily (one of those almost dead plants I rescued from work) has started to bloom. If it dries out enough tomorrow, I'll try and take pictures since I think he's unique enough to be worth posting. (Also, in my head, all my plants are male. No idea why.)

Digs, that's a good idea - mint tea! As I wrote above, I need to do that with my basil tomorrow or something.

You know, Valia, I didn't consider the weather... that's a good explanation though. And I echo Ara, that is so awesome about the wild blackberries! Tell us how the jam goes. Do the blackberries come every year?

I wait for it to nearly expire indoors, then place it in that brown earth and see what happens. Most have flourished; some have done so-so, but the coolest thing is to see a limp, dying plant rejuvenate again once out-of-doors.

...

Isn't that borderline miraculous Jo? I occasionally get nearly dead plants from work and they almost always thrive once they're in the soil. Plants certainly do best in the ground. And even my house plants which have to stay in their pots do better outside in the sun and wind.

I can agree with these thoughts! I have a very bad habit of giving up on anything that looks limp after two or so hours - I might rip it out or just get rid of it. However, I repotted a marigold that wasn't doing very well, not having much hopes for it, and the thing has at least 10-15 blooms once it was in the ground. It's so, like you said, Ara, miraculous to see a plant that was wilted and weak finally start looking better.

Oh, I do want to see pictures! I didn't know you were supposed to do that with watermelon. I'd never heard of such a thing.

Thank-you! I'll get some pictures tomorrow, probably.
Yes, I decided to do things a little differently with my watermelon plant, and so I let it climb a couple tomato cages, and then I made some hammocks out of knee-high tights. These are icebox watermelons, so I suppose the support of a tomato cage will be enough, but next year, I might think of doing something more sturdy. I mostly did this for space reasons, but also to keep it from exposure to the soil/the large colonies of ants and pillbugs that haunt our yard.

That is great about your garden! I'm having the same problem with my tomato plants - I used all the small trellises on them, so now I'm trying to bend them horizontally and let them use the support of another cage, just so they aren't clumsily toppling over.

I have a question for you all... what do you do about pruning? I used some really, really unorthodox methods of pruning (I just lopped off a lot of stuff), and while I did see an increase in fruit, I do know that I'm getting like 3 tomatoes on two plants, and shrimpy tomatoes from the large roma in the container. I have a feeling I was overzealous about the thing, so I'm wondering what to do about the situation.

Well, you're more than welcome to come over, Ara; you can carry away all that you can pick. Ooh, yeah, your neighbors might not appreciate you stealing their pears. Then again, if they really were supposed to be ornamental, they might not care. So, em, that said, what's the difference between fruiting and ornamental pears? I'm guessing the latter aren't edible, but Winter thought Bradfords were?

Bella, the blackberry picking offer stands for you too. I'll be sure to let you all know how the jamming/jellying goes. The blackberries do tend to come every year, but we've been in a drought state for a number of the past years (and still kind of are, though we've been getting a fair amount of rain lately) so they haven't been producing much. This is really only the second summer since I was little that I've been picking them, though, and it really is too much for one person.

DiGs, do you just brew the dry spearmint leaves for tea and it's as easy as that? I don't suppose you can grow spearmint in a window box?

Haha, I wish, Valia! Thank-you for the offer! I can't wait to hear about the jam! I've been interested in finding out exactly how to do that and have been enjoying studying different methods.

As for growing mint, you can grow mint anywhere. I grow mine in small quart-sized pots that are equivalent to the size of a window box. Mint is extremely sturdy and prolific (Mine have lasted for three/four years, just sitting outside in the winter, and since it spreads like a weed, I have many flowerpots of it.)

I figured it would be a bit far, Bella. Yeah, I actually don't know anything about making jam, but I've been wanting to try it for ages, so I'm really happy my classmate offered to show me (and at least another classmate or two---she told another classmate it's a girls-only class, and he's already offered to bring a loaf of his wife's bread to the lab if we'll bring some jelly in after we've made it ). I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes.
That's good to know about mint, thank you! Does it need lots of sunlight? And do you have to do anything besides stick the seeds in the soil and water it?

Definitely, Bella, I encourage you to try beans. Indeed, they are delectable straight from the garden, and are quite easy to grow. The only issue I have found is small rodents enjoying them as well, but that's where I plant the marigolds, which seem to help to repel those cute little critters.

And 'tis good to hear about your garden, although I'm sorry you're to hear plants aren't producing as much as you would like to see this year. Ah, mint, we planted that years ago and it started taking over one of our gardens. It's so pretty and the scent is lovely, but we eventually had to dig it out, it was so intrusive. Someday when I have more room, I'd like to put it in again.

Hmm, that's odd about your tomatoes. Well, keep persisting, and hopefully you will be able to enjoy some of that luscious fruit in time.

Nice about your peppers! And speaking of which, I last wrote that what I thought was my red bell pepper plant was being way too persistent in staying green ... until this morning when I was watering and saw tinges of red finally on one of the larger peppers, hurrah! A related aside: that's what I love about watering: as you go over each section of the gardens, you get to take status as to how to every single plant is doing, whether floral or veggie. Then in my mind I develop a list as to what needs to be done with such-and-such a plant or row. Love that time in the early morning when the dew is still on the ground, the neighbourhood is still very quiet, the trees are rustling, and the birds are a-chirping to their hearts' delight.

Great, you got your watermelons tucked up in hammocks, Bella. Yes, indeed, wanna see pics, lol! How ingenious: knee-high tights!

As for pruning, I am getting more ruthless in my old age. But Aravanna and fantasia would have better knowledge than me, so I pass that over to them. For example, though, when I pruned my hibiscus, I cut it back my 3/4. I think I have heard 2/3 is usually suitable, but it was just so pitiful-looking, that I went nearly all the way. Thankfully that worked! And I try to take suckers off my tomato plants ... which is supposed to do worlds of good in keeping the plant healthy.

Good to hear about yours too, DiGs. I really want to get a proper herb garden started sometime. We have parsley, which I readily use, but nothing else at this time (since we dug up all the mint ).

Valia, that is so cool about all your blackberries. Is this a better season than usual, do you think, because of more rain this year? *drools over the jam*

Isn't that borderline miraculous Jo? I occasionally get nearly dead plants from work and they almost always thrive once they're in the soil. Plants certainly do best in the ground. And even my house plants which have to stay in their pots do better outside in the sun and wind.

It's so, like you said, Ara, miraculous to see a plant that was wilted and weak finally start looking better.

Indeed. My thought exactly (miraculous). And I doff my hat to you, Ara, for getting me to be more ruthless in pruning and cutting back. Remember my hibiscus was getting very scraggly and empty, so I pruned it vigorously only to find that after a few weeks it is filling in really full this time. Awesome!

In fact, my tomatoes and outgrown their rings and are all falling over so the veg garden isn't very attractive right now. I wish there was something I could do about that.

I know whatof you speak! Thankfully we have a wire fence around the pool (or did—most of it is taken down now, except by my tomato plants,which are all entwined through it now, lol), because they always outgrow those cages by quite a bit. Then as different branches wind their way up to the sun, I gently twist-tie them to the wire fence, otherwise they'd bend and possibly break.

Would love to see a pic of the blackberry lily, Ara!

I am going to pick our first cob of corn in the day or so, as the silk is definitely turning that brown/maroon colour, so we shall pry open the leaves of one cob to see what we shall see.

The beans are ready to be picked again, as are a bunch of peas. The tomatoes are still ramping up. I can't imagine what it is going to be like when they are at their peak: will probably have to give a bunch away, there will be so many!

Say, it's good to see this Gardening thread come to life! Now, let's hope it keeps up after the competition is over.

Valia, mint of all varieties (spear, pepper, cat, etc...) is considered to be a weed. . . .I have mine in a pot that's probably a 2 gallon pot, and it's thriving! Sun or shade isn't as important. . . just provide it a LOT of water. I'd think it would love being in a window box.

Yeah, once the leaves are dried, I plan on just storing them in a sort of glass jar, and than just brewing them with water. That's what I've read on the internet at least.

I might try extracting some of the essential oils from both my mint and my rosemary plants next. Has anybody ever done that before?

Well, I was gone all evening, so no pictures. Bleh. Tomorrow maybe?

I used all the small trellises on them, so now I'm trying to bend them horizontally and let them use the support of another cage, just so they aren't clumsily toppling over.

Mine are pretty clumsy this year.

And as far as prunning tomatoes, I wouldn't cut more than a third off at one time. Especially if it's in a pot since it doesn't have a large root system and will be slow to recover. I've always been told you should take all the side branches (or suckers) off, but I haven't touched my tomatoes this year and they're producing like CRAZY so I don't think you need to prune them unless they're out of control.

And your watermelon are growing on a trellis. That makes a lot more sense why you'd put them in a sling.

So, em, that said, what's the difference between fruiting and ornamental pears? I'm guessing the latter aren't edible, but Winter thought Bradfords were?

Here's a picture of Bradford fruit. Technically they're edible, but to quote a teacher "you'd starve to death while trying to eat them." Ornamental pears are only grown for looks, not fruit so they'll be covered in flowers in the spring and turn red in the fall.

Ah, mint, we planted that years ago and it started taking over one of our gardens. It's so pretty and the scent is lovely, but we eventually had to dig it out, it was so intrusive. Someday when I have more room, I'd like to put it in again.

I think the best thing to do with mint is just stick it in a pot to curtail it's thuggish ways. That's what my parents have done with chocolate mint for a few years and it works well.

And yes, hibiscus can take quite a pruning if they're outside and it's about to be warm and sunny for them. I always feel a little sorry for my parents' plants but they spring right back out of it in a month or so. I probably cut them back by more like half instead of a third, which is the supposed limit to cut a plant back.

And I don't know if I'll ever get a picture of that blasted blackberry lily. I was gone today, it probably won't be blooming tomorrow since it seems to bloom every other day, and Friday I'll leaving to go to my parents for a wedding. Maybe it will bloom on Sunday or something. Some of the other flowers I can probably capture Friday morning if I get up early enough.

Yeah, once the leaves are dried, I plan on just storing them in a sort of glass jar, and than just brewing them with water. That's what I've read on the internet at least.

The one time I tried to make tea out of fresh lemonbalm, it was disgusting. I don't know what I did wrong, but it just tasted like water and chlorophyll. If you successfully make mint tea, I'd be interested in knowing exactly how you do it. And I'd add that mint does grow faster in full sun... but why would you want it too.

Jo, yes, we think the blackberries have been more abundant and larger due to the rain and cooler temps. It's been getting hotter and the bushes are slowly down and the berries are getting smaller now.

Thanks for the tips on mint, DiGs! I guess I don't actually have a proper windowbox, was more thinking of setting a pot on the windowsill. And this is probably a stupid question, but can you buy mint seeds and, if so, do they have to be specially bought or would someplace like Wal-Mart have them?

Ah, thank you, Ara! Ornamental pears make sense now (at least from a definition point-of-view; if you have to take care of a fruit tree, why not get fruit from it?).

You all were asking about jelly making; it went really well! It actually went so well that I went over and made another batch (as well as some blackberry syrup) this morning. The worst part was making sure the jars sealed properly. But we took the two jars that hadn't sealed to the office the next day and everyone loved it, so that was good. I'm not sure what else to say; were there any particular questions about it?

And this is probably a stupid question, but can you buy mint seeds and, if so, do they have to be specially bought or would someplace like Wal-Mart have them?

I've never had much luck with growing plants from seeds, but I suppose you could. Your best bet is to go to your local garden centre, or a place that sells vegetable plants. They'll have an herb section, and you could get one there

Jo, I didn't know marigolds help with rodents! Thanks... I'll have to remember that. I've seen a mouse once in the yard, so I'll have to do that as a precaution if I grow beans....

Your updates on your garden are delightful to read!! Yes, I agree - I don't enjoy the hauling the hose part of watering, but it's definitely worth it to examine each plant and take account of their progress.

Thank-you for the tips on pruning! 3/4th sounds like a good idea.

Ara, ditto about the clumsy tomato plants. I currently have three cages surrounding one plant that's decided to grow and then bend horizontally in every possible direction.

Thank-you for the pruning insight! I'm guessing that what I did to my container plant hurt it considerably. I was almost as ruthless with the ones in the ground, but they seem to have recovered to some degree. I'm a bit afraid to prune anything at this point.

Valia, yay about the blackberry jelly!! I was wondering - what kind of preservative did you use? I've been wondering about various healthy types of preservatives, and have been interested in seeing what others have used.

Sooo, coming in to say that my garden is doing GREAT! Better than when I last posted, at least.

The tomatoes... my one heirloom tomato is doing wonderful. Something happened, and now it has more fruit growing than I can count. I'm so thrilled!! I need to get a picture of the leaves to ask you guys to help me find out if it's a Brandywine or not... It certainly has the "Amish heirloom" look, if you know what I mean.
Surprisingly, all my heirlooms did very well. My roma plant did not do that good (Though, I believe it's an heirloom, so I can just collect the seeds.). The Alicante is coming along nicely; one is ripening, and there are a lot of flowers on there.

My eggplant is doing beautifully. No fruit yet, but plenty of lovely flowers. I am forever loyal to the eggplant as a home garden plant - last year it was my only hope, as it's the only thing that produced.

The zucchinni is just... *le sigh* Didn't work out! The plant was getting out of control, and a little bit gross with ants getting everywhere, so I had to cut it and try replant part of it... I have no idea. I put it in a very cramped-up spot, so that's probably the problem.

I got one okra! Eeep! It's exciting to see these things that you see in the market grow before your eyes. We sliced the okra up, put it in a few teaspoons of oil, threw in some caraway/ajwain seeds, turmeric, red pepper, and salt and microwaved it. It was good. My other okra plant (the one that's at least 4' tall) has plenty of flowers and fruit-looking things. I looove okra, so I'm hoping to get at least a half pound of it so I can make a decent-sized dish.

I'm delighted to report that the peppers have taken off. I don't remember having this many blooms on the plants ever!

My watermelon is doing okay. No more growing other than the two. (I'm wondering if it was the trellis method, or just overall poor conditions.) But the two are growing in their hammocks like cute wee little babies. I'm going to get some pictures this week, once the weather gets a little more convenient to do so.

On the subject of pruning tomatoes. The only tomatoes I find worthwhile taking the time to prune are your big beefsteak heirloom varieties. Everything else, I don't care. Pruning a tomato plant will help direct its energy into the fruit instead of the greenery, but for the majority of plants I've ever grown, they just produce smaller tomatoes and that doesn't matter much to me. Only the heirloom varieties that produce a few tomatoes a year are the ones that I kind of baby.
And generally the only thing you want to prune on a tomato plant are the sucker branches. If you don't know what suckers are, here's a pic...
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago ... uckers.png
The regular branch only grows a certain distance and then stops. Suckers are a new primary shoot that keeps growing.

Bella, here is a good comparative picture of a Brandywine leaf vs every other tomato leaves. Brandywine is on the left.
http://leslieland.com/wp-content/upload ... leaves.jpg

Well I picked my cantaloupe. They were good, but not great. I think the problem was we have suddenly gotten a TON of rain :O and I think it watered down the flavor of the fruit. Anyways, I'm still super excited about it so I will definitely be planting them again in the future.

Also, our grapes on the farm have started to have some success! The Mars variety have started to turn and I ate a lot of yummy grapes over the weekend. We have a lot to learn though because the bunches are not ripening uniformly. I think that's a pruning problem. (Speaking of which, Anna, you cut off way more than 1/3 of the plant each winter. ) We'll be working on this in the Fall and Winter.

I always pruned my Roma tomatoes, and I must say that when I do so, I'm usually pretty ruthless . I'd usually end up having a pile of suckers that was larger than the plant itself. I've never had problems with my Roma's being "shocked" by losing so many leaves. They've always produced TONS of tomatoes.