Comments on: Expanding My Garden for Strawberries, Cucumber and Watermelon

By: Giganto Pithecus

Giganto Pithecus — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 03:05:51 +0000

Sunflowers produce chemicals that negatively affect many other plants. I ruined half a yard of soil by adding chopped sunflowers to it as compost. I had to sift out the remnants and let the soil cook for 2 months before I could even grow beans in it. Google “allelopathy”. One thing you can do if you must grow them close to other plants is to remove wilting leaves before they drop. Each leaf is a little herbicide bomb.

By: Laine

Laine — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:48:46 +0000

I think they look sorta pretty hanging down, so for me, it’s an aesthetic thing.

By: FlaNative

FlaNative — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:24:59 +0000

The Florida Culinary Institute installed a hanging garden over their regular beds — they have an impressive number of buckets of tomatoes and other veggies growing out of the bottom of 5-gallon buckets hung about 5 feet off the ground.

By: Matt

Matt — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:57:28 +0000

To save space, I could just buy all my produce at Publix. Of couse, then I’d be a total loser. No, this garden isn’t about saving space or making it easier to get vegetables. This project is about quality of life and embracing the American Dream. Can I grow vegetables? Yes I can!

(You can also grow tomatoes upside down. My grandmother got one of those for her birthday, I think. She said it grew pretty well.)

— Farmer Matt

By: Laine

Laine — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:49:49 +0000

Just throwing this out there and you probably already know…but you can grow your strawberries up (or down for that matter) to save space!

By: FlaNative

FlaNative — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:24:23 +0000

My grandma did, too.

Jury’s still out on whether they actually deter pests, but they attract beneficial insects, and they do work against some nematodes!

From the Arizona ag web site:

“Marigolds are relatively pest free and many people interplant them in their vegetable gardens to deter insect pests. While the data is lacking as to whether marigolds actually deter insect pests, they definitely attract beneficial insects such as lacewings, ladybeetles, and parasitic wasps.

“Recent research indicates that marigolds contain compounds toxic to root knot and other plant-parasitic nematodes (microscopic round worms that damage plant roots). …especially certain varieties of French marigolds.
…
“Varieties of French marigolds shown to have nematocidal properties are: Bolero, Bonita Mixed, Goldie, Gypsy Sunshine, Petite, Petite Harmony, Petite Gold, Scarlet Sophie, Single Gold, and Tangerine.”

They grow really easily in S. Fla.; just don’t overwater them, or let them dry out completely.

By: lps

lps — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:02:52 +0000

Where are your marigolds? My grandmother and my mother always planted marigolds in among the plants. They were supposed to be a natural insect repellent.

By: ksteinhoff

ksteinhoff — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 23:42:24 +0000

When we get the shed done, I’m sure to have some exterior plywood that could be used for another garden. I’ll let you know when it’s ready for pickup.

http://www.palmbeachbiketours.com/2009/02/18/building-a-new-home-for-my-surly-lht/

By: FlaNative

FlaNative — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:32:18 +0000

PS: I WANT you to be successful, Virgin Farmer Matt, so I'll have recipes to share on my blog along with all those I've already posted. There's a terrific salsa on there, as a matter of fact, that is perfect for your cilantro, tomatoes and peppers.

By: FlaNative

FlaNative — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:26:28 +0000

You aren’t going to have any to not give me, unless you wait till April, replant with dry cakey soil and on mounds that are mulched with plastic gunk.
Even then, I’m not going to wait supper on that one.
Rip ‘em out and plant more berries right now: they LOVE the muck. So do the beans.
PS: Watch that broccoli: It’s subject to cabbage worm in a big way.
Tobacco tea is the answer:
TOBACCO TEA
1 (3-ounce) bag of chewing tobacco
1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid or cheap shampoo
A 1-gallon jar or old pitcher
strainer
plastic spray bottles
water bottles
spray bottles

Put the chewing tobacco in a 1-gallon jar or old pitcher; pour in 1 gallon of boiling water. Stir in 1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid or shampoo (this acts as a surfactant for better sticking and penetration on the plants).
Let the mixture steep in the sun; bottle it in spray bottles and LABEL WELL as a poison. It’s lethal to bugs, and pets, fish, people and birds could get sick if they drank it, too.

Here’s the great St. Pete Times blog entry on what it’s good for — it’s the WD-40 of the garden:

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/24/Homes/Deadly_doses_for_bad_.shtml

And if you’re so inclined to chew it before you make tea, it will remove the sting from any number of bug bites, and soothe sunburn as well.
Go, Red Man!