#garden planning

[tragic-cottonball]

I ordered the dahlias, and they gave me a free one. I love spending all my money on flowers. I got:

Cherubino, Diva, and Appleblossom

EZ Duzzit and Hakuyou

Honeymoon, Lights Out, and Poodle Skirt

Sheer Heaven and Cheers (Cheers was free)

Plus I got some mixed Dahlia seed for some mystery blooms. I think I need to be done spending money on flowers for a while, though.

[leebrontide]

Ok might have to have a rethink about hydrangeas. This “Eclipse” variety is one dramatic goth plant.

[oh-he-grows]

The Complete Book Of Garden Magic - Roy E Biles (1947)

[lynnswirld]

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Friday 14 March 2025

The herbaceous perennial, Primula vulgaris ‘Rosebud Crocus Blue’ (primrose), is an F1 hybrid producing flowers with petals that are tightly curled, resembling a rose about to bloom. This particularly early-flowering series are ideal for using in winter and spring containers in full sun or partial shade, with fertile and moist growing media.

Jill Raggett

[elminx]

My mother gave me a giant (12" pot) for Christmas because I told her I was going to need big pots for my trees, but my trees (Dracaena) aren't quite there - yet - so I'm thinking about buying an Elephant Ear corm and seeing how it grows inside in my garden this summer. My one thing is that it needs daily watering, and I don't have a hose setup (yet), so I have to decide whether I'm willing to lug that much water outside every day to water it.

[afrogeekgoddess]

I am being very brave and resisting the urge to buy all the plants and seeds in the world for my garden. What I’d love to grow > what I’m capable of tending.

[bumblebeeappletree]

Whatever sort of garden you have planned, it’s worth taking a step back and considering an overall plan before you get started. Take the time to observe the surrounds and get to know the site - this helps you decide what to plant and where.

Draw up a basic plan with the house and the features that you want to keep. You can measure it properly or just step it out. Think about the main factors that affect how and where plants grow:

- Sun: Think about how the sun moves across your space, and how that changes in different seasons. Where can you sit in the sun and where can you enjoy some shade?

Plants will also need different amounts of sun, with veggies and fruit trees needing at least six hours a day.

It’s good to have herbs in a sunny spot near the house.

You can always add a pergola with climbing plants to create some more shade.

- Terrain: How flat is your land? If it’s sloping, do you need retaining walls or simply a few steps?

- Water: Consider how water falls to the lowest spot - is flooding an issue? Can you use these low spots to grow thirsty plants instead?

- Soil: There are basic tests you can do to check how much sand or clay is in the soil, to get an idea of how well it will drain and hold nutrients. Testing for pH will also help you make the right plant choices. This can vary in different parts of your garden, so take a few different samples.

When you’ve considered all these elements, you can start to think about how you move around the site.

What parts do you need regular access to for the water meter, to reach the front door, hang out washing, or put out the rubbish bins? Do you need more paths? Different styles of paths and paving create a different feel, from straight and formal to twisting and picturesque, so bear this in mind, too.

Sightlines - do you need to block out fences or neighbours or do you want to enhance a particular view?

When you have all this information, you can enjoy the creative fun of planning your perfect garden.

Filmed on Gadigal & Bidjigal Country in Bronte, NSW

[thestudentfarmer]

Smallish post for the moment, to reply to some questions and comments made on prior posts :)

I've been asked a few times over the last couple of months about where I live as well as the grow seasons in my area.

I'm in a fairly populated area of the US, largely in usda grow zone 9-10.

Where I'm at in particular doesn't get snow, but further upstate does. (Those areas can't grow yr round, not without some adjustment such as greenhouses.)

Technically, I can grow almost all yr round. But once the Temps start hitting 100*f regularly it's too hot for us and most plants stop flowering or fruiting (pollen starts getting damaged at 95*f, but multiple 100*f days is bad for both plants and most pollinators) so we end up just letting what can struggle along till its cooler or we take everything up and solarise (Personally i Iet the plants that'll grow grow, keeps the soils covered, where it belongs and gives a fresh food source for my chickens that isnt trucked in everytime.)

In winter, we do get cold, but not too many frost days. When we do have frost days, often I can toss a few thin blankets over most crops at night and be good till the next day. If I only plant winter crops, I don't even need to do that.

I also do not follow a lot of the planting guides available. I often use them as a rough draft (like starting tomatoes in pots/grow cells in November around Thanksgiving. So their ready to be planted around valentines day).

Side note, 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌻🌻🌻 If your looking into starting gardening or farming and are in the USA, I 1000% would say check with your local county extension office or county extension ag office. Some of the larger state collages as well have offices dedicated to answering plant questions. You don't even have to be in the same state

I've asked for help with potatoes through 3 different counties (including the state I live in) each one has given valuable info, advice and several different answers. They are amazing resources if you don't have someone to buddy up with!

Sadly, I cannot give much info for such programs outside the states as im unknowledged in the possible resource shares. I believe most countries do have a similar equivalent though. 🌻🌻🌻🌱🌱🌱

Because I'm in an urban area (surrounded by neighbors and city), it does mess with the microclimate a bit. This means some crops do way better at different times than expected.

For examples, armenian cucumbers do great yr round.

Regular cucumbers? Only winter/fall. I don't grow them much, though cause they've tasted terrible.

Carrots are more a fall crop here and are much tastier and sweeter. Spring/summer carrots are hit or miss. Edible but less enjoyable.

Spinich? Haven't had any luck in either season yet. Either in ground or in raised bed or pots.

Regular potatoes? Soils too hard in the ground and the raised beds I've tried so far get too dry or too wet. :'( next try i intend to try a raised row/straw method.

Sweet potatoes? Vines grew and flourished well throughout the whole summer! I've yet to see what the spud harvest will look like yet, but I've gotten around 10 lbs of greens, plus a few pounds of vines that the chickens demolish quite eagerly. To me, that's a win, plus the vines trellis easily and can double as a nice shade structure when trained on trellis.

@oh-he-grows carrot seeds do smell fantastic! I was quite suprised how nice they smelled! Tbh I've been a little interested in collecting some umbells before they open next time and seeing if I might infuse some olive oil for a soap batch.

@tinyshe Thank you for your encouraging words! I hope as well to encourage more people to look into growing gardens, saving seeds, doing more small scale things to eventually make a positive difference for future and current generations :)

And to wrap up today a lil appearance from two of our lovely gals :)

🌻🌻🌻 Happy Homesteading🌱🌱🌱

10 8 2023

[yardenercom]

How to grow vegetables in 6 simple steps?

Don't know where to start with your own vegetable garden? Check out our new infographic on How to grow vegetables in 6 simple steps! From selecting the right seeds to harvesting your bounty, our easy-to-follow guide will have you growing your own fresh produce in no time.

Visit www.yardener.com for more gardening resources.

Want more gardening resources? Check here

[tragic-cottonball]

Front flower border: spring phase

[homesteading-hermit]

Today’s agenda consists of making a huge batch of vegetarian chili, taking stock of all my seeds for garden planning, visiting the in-laws, and decluttering the shed a bit.

Since starting homesteading my productivity around the house has sky rocketed! I was so low energy before.

[oh-he-grows]

The Complete Book Of Garden Magic - Roy E Biles (1947)

[gardenofmydesire]

Gardening Journey: Step by Step Guide for Beginners

Our New Blog "Gardening journey with our simple step-by-step guide for beginners"

Gardening is a rewarding and therapeutic hobby that allows you to connect with nature, create beauty, and cultivate your own green haven. If you’re a beginner eager to start your gardening journey, you’re in the right place! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to kickstart your gardening adventure, even if you have limited space like a balcony. Step 1: Choose Your…

[shireland-farm]

Don't forget to get your free garden planning page from Seedtime

https://seedtime.us/jkmel4ukl4tonac09iap-5fs-sab?ref=abi77

I've used their garden planning dashboard since it came out and it's absolutely wonderful.

[dunsterhouseblogs]

Small Garden Ideas. Need some help with designing your garden and making the most of your outdoor space? Reading our blog is a good place to start.