What are you growing in your garden this year? 2021 gardening thread

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,704
5,456
136
Seems like a lot of hype around these. My mom bought a couple of those from Costco. Used it a few times to grow a few tomatoes and lost interest with all the refills, etc. For overall very little output.

Yeah, which is exactly my approach is a bit different...the off-the-shelf hydroponic systems are pretty neat, but the system I'm using is actually very low-tech...it's just a fancy clay pot that holds a week's worth of water, so that when you're starting your seeds, you only have to remember to refill it on like Sunday or whatever. Then I plan on trasferring the seedlings into a home-built hydroponics system to grow full-size plants, starting with tomatoes. GE has a really amazing setup:


This is what the inside of the terracotta Orta seed starter looks like: (Youtube screenshot)

1617670342369.png

I have the small one, which can start 6 seeds at a time:

1617670282246.png
 

bbhaag

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2011
6,899
2,260
146
We are in southern California, so it's warm for us almost year round. Last year was the first time for us planting corn. We had some success last year with only 2 x 10ft rows and this year we decided to go with 8 x 10ft rows of corn. We planted Kandy Korn (hybrid) and Early Golden Bantam this year. Those hybrids from Syngenta looks good, I might give them a try too.
Cool, let me know if you give any of their varieties a try. They can be hard to find due to Syngentas "Stewardship Agreement" program. My local seed supplier carries the Pursuit variety from the Attribute II line but they want around $60 for 2.5 million seeds which is WAY more than we need. I have had some success finding their stuff on Amazon though so I might see if that is an option.

Also one thing to keep in mind if you do decide to try some of their products. Read the data sheets carefully for each variety because a lot of them are genetically modified to be Round-Up ready due to them being mainly geared toward commercial growers. That doesn't bother me one bit but I know a lot of people take issue with genetically modified plants.
 
Last edited:

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,778
126
Seems like a lot of hype around these. My mom bought a couple of those from Costco. Used it a few times to grow a few tomatoes and lost interest with all the refills, etc. For overall very little output.
My wife got some metal shelves and then we got some heating pads and LED grow lights from Amazon. This is probably the same thing, but we paid less...the chinese sellers cut prices in half frequently. These have cables that allow you to raise/lower the lights.


If you get some 48" wide shelves, you can setup quite a few starters.

For anyone wanting to build some cheap boxes for raised beds, here's what I do....it's only slightly affected by the lumber prices.

I buy treated 2x4's and then treated dog ear fencing. Dimensional 2x4s are actually 1.5" X 3.5". I rip the 2x4's on my table saw to make .75" X 1.75" pieces that I then cut whatever height the box is, plus a little more to drive into the ground as a stake. I just use my circular saw to cut a 45 degree angle on them and alternate cuts down the board to maximize the number of stakes per 2x4. That gives me a solid piece of wood to drive in.

For the fencing, which is the sides, I just cut the tops off to make them roughly 6' or 8' long and then half them for the width. I put posts on the corners and in the middle of the box.

I just use drywall screws to put it together.

The first thing to rot on this setup is the posts. They need to be rebuilt every 3-4 years, but the dogear fencing is about $1.70 per piece. and you can build a bunch of these with just a handful of 2x4s.

I googled "dog ear fence raised bed" and found this:

I actually go 3 picket boards high on mine and fill them with top soil and compost. We have pretty bad red dirt here in the South, so we just filled them up with lots of compost/good dirt...plant rye grass between seasons and use a small tiller to turn the soil a few times a year.
 

bbhaag

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2011
6,899
2,260
146
Been a few weeks so I thought I would post something. I tilled the gardens yesterday so they are prepped and ready it took about an hour which isn't to bad. I was also able to secure a license number from both Monsanto and Syngenta. What this means is I'm now able to buy their patent protected sweet corn varieties. It wasn't to hard to get the license number but I did have to call and answer a few questions and there was no charge for this.

One last note is mother nature isn't being very cooperative here in Central Illinois. Snow has moved into the forecast with maybe even some accumulation which is pretty rare for this time of year. Silver lining is that hopefully this is the last of winter weather and we can actually get some veggies planted.
forecast.png
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,778
126
I spent the weekend dethatching the lawn and shoveling compost on all the flowering plants with my wife and our trusty assistant. He wasn't much help though...turns out, he can't reach the pedals yet on the lawn tractor.

IMG_20210418_134709443~2.jpg
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
38,407
8,698
136
My purple tree collard plant has taken over 1/3 of the yard. That's a hardy mofo!!! It's actually gone to seed a little, it's said to be hard to get it to seed... it's a perennial. Sent up some little yellow flowers and now I have seed pods on it in a few places.

I planted six 4 inch pots of tomatoes: 2 Sweet 100's, which are doing well. The others are Early Girl, one up a died. Another looked like it would be the next to die but it revived. Now it's the runt of the lot, maybe it will make it, can't tell. A handful of volunteers are nested under that one plant and I'm going to let them grow, 'cause who knows? Around 15 mostly volunteer kabochas are interspersed in the 6x10' tomato patch and I'm going to nurture them too, direct them out on the concrete patio. I mulched the whole affair. When I bought the tomatoes I bought one sweet green bell pepper plant in a 4" pot, think I grew some maybe over 20 years ago. It's in a pretty shady spot, not dying but not growing and I have little hope it will survive. There's a few onions in there too! It's fun to grow them but I seldom harvest them. Can for green onions, but I just buy yellow onions, so don't really care about them.

I set up tall stakes next to the tomato plants, plan to train them up as high as they will grow... up to 7+ feet if possible. Am pinching off most of the side suckers. They're around 18" tall now, the first flowers are on them but I haven't spotted a tiny green tomato yet. The weather's just turning warm now with days getting into the low 70's sometimes. Not a drop of rain here in a month. May get a little Sunday night.

Lots of cilantro growing in pots, trying to revive my milkweed, love to see Monarch butterflies in the yard, try to nurture their caterpillars.
 
Last edited:

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
38,407
8,698
136
We are in southern California, so it's warm for us almost year round. Last year was the first time for us planting corn. We had some success last year with only 2 x 10ft rows and this year we decided to go with 8 x 10ft rows of corn. We planted Kandy Korn (hybrid) and Early Golden Bantam this year. Those hybrids from Syngenta looks good, I might give them a try too.
I grew some corn when I was a kid in Los Angeles. Didn't know how to do it but it was a gas seeing how fast it grew. The ears had few kernels on them because corn is wind pollinated. You have to have rows or no kernels! Grew some many years later here in N. Calif., better success. It's fun to grow corn and see it taller by inches every day.
FYI....if you're going to do any canning, make sure you start looking for lids now. Ball lids have been very hard to come by. We paid a premium...$1-2 markup per 12 pack just to get some.
I have some, but shouldn't need a lot. I keep my jars, don't throw them away. I even reuse Ball canning lids if they look good for stuff I'm not worried about. If it's something that could develop botulism, it gets a new lid and pressure canning. Jam canning and tomato based stuff, I don't worry. I add some citric acid to tomato stuff as a precaution, but didn't for years and never had a problem.
 

bbhaag

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2011
6,899
2,260
146
While not exactly veggie garden related I did get the Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac yesterday that I order last fall. It's still wrapped up from being shipped from Oklahoma so I don't know what the shape looks like yet but I have a feeling it's going to look nice. This tree will be planted in the back corner of a new flower bed that we are installing in our backyard this spring/summer.

So anyway here is a pic of it. For size reference the palm on the left is 4.5 foot tall and the Rose of Sharon tree on the right is 6 foot tall.
IMG_20210421_174413147_HDR.jpg
 

nisryus

Senior member
Sep 11, 2007
758
139
106
We ordered a White Champaca plant (2 ft tall) a week ago and just got it today. Well, timing is bed since today was cold in my area.
IMG_20210413_120101143.jpg

It looks ok, but few of the leaf look like a little brownish/burn.
IMG_20210413_120138430.jpg

Contacted the seller and he said it is fine. Probably beause this was the main plant he used to airlayering. He said the leaf will fall and new ones will grow.

Supposedly White Champaca likes partial sun, and not too much water. Will see how it handles when it gets 100+ here, even under the porch might be too hot for it.

I can sort of see roots poking out at the bottom of the pot. Probably need to move it to a bigger pot (it came in a 1 gallon pot). Should I wait a little? Afraid to harm it since it has delicate roots and is in a new environment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bbhaag

bbhaag

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2011
6,899
2,260
146
We ordered a White Champaca plant (2 ft tall) a week ago and just got it today. Well, timing is bed since today was cold in my area.
View attachment 43435

It looks ok, but few of the leaf look like a little brownish/burn.
View attachment 43436

Contacted the seller and he said it is fine. Probably beause this was the main plant he used to airlayering. He said the leaf will fall and new ones will grow.

Supposedly White Champaca likes partial sun, and not too much water. Will see how it handles when it gets 100+ here, even under the porch might be too hot for it.

I can sort of see roots poking out at the bottom of the pot. Probably need to move it to a bigger pot (it came in a 1 gallon pot). Should I wait a little? Afraid to harm it since it has delicate roots and is in a new environment.
Nice! Cool looking tree when mature. I wasn't familiar with it so I looked it up and it has a nice habit to it. Honestly it looks ok to me for a plant that appears to be on the harder side to propagate and probably spent a few days in a box getting to you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nisryus

nisryus

Senior member
Sep 11, 2007
758
139
106
Thx! We are planning to move it to a bigger pot after two weeks. Supposedly the flowers are very fragrant.
 

bbhaag

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2011
6,899
2,260
146
Well I don't know about anyone else but here in Central Illinois I am sick and tired of waiting for Mother Nature to get her act together an bring us some warmer temps. We actually had a frost last night which is just crazy because the general rule of thumb around here is you are safe to plant after Mothers Day.....so much for that. I still haven't gotten any thing in the ground yet because the lower than average temps. It's all just sitting in boxes/trays in the garage or still at work in one of my greenhouses....sigh.....

Nothing worse than a cool wet spring when you're itching to get out in the garden.

IMG_20210510_202309820_HDR.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: herm0016

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,778
126
1620737326215.png
My wife has all of her seeds going under the lights. She's got warming mats on the bottom row that she uses to get seeds to germinate. Then she moves them into soil. We've got raised beds in the back yard and a few gardens out by the lake that get good sun and ground water. (due to drainage and proximity to the watershed) We'll be planting half runners (green beans), potatoes, corn, and canning tomatoes out there, but it's a 25 minute drive from our house, so we likely be checking out there only twice a week for bean picking and tomato harvest when we get there.

Many of the seeds she started are a mix of tomatoes, basil, cilantro, and sweet and hot peppers. The raised beds will be for herbs and things that require more attention. We had a handful of cherry tomato plants last year that overproduced. Quite a few ended up dying on the vine because we couldn't use them all. One of my favorite things though is fresh cherry tomatoes with basil and mozz.... Backyard Caprese salad rocks. Those small tomatoes also go great with capers and pasta.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bbhaag

herm0016

Diamond Member
Feb 26, 2005
8,448
1,070
126
How did I miss this! We have been harvesting lettuce from the greenhouse for a couple weeks. We got several inches of snow and freezing temps last night. I'll post some pics today. We had a bunny sleepover on Sat. Night, so we will see if sugar is pregnant is about a week. Got rid of or jerk rooster to make room for a maren rooster that is about 6 weeks old. We also have 17 other chicks and 5 turkeys. Broccoli, onions, garlic, radishes, spinach, beets, potatoes, cabbage, in the raised beds under row covers. Peas in the ground. About 300 seedlings awaiting this cold spell in the green house.
0b6d386b7f53768139013a20338f478a.jpg

c18b126b0c4a442cea6bee81cd899bcd.jpg
2dd342a929e37ec2936190c73209f2c6.jpg
2be7650ae30eeaf8414cd1b5b88d208f.jpg
9d0e29c731d450548a52c7abf244220f.jpg
d8ede82ee517d0ad15c2feff84fac523.jpg
735a192d4ba12cd2b05267b1ff5d79f9.jpg
 
Last edited:

herm0016

Diamond Member
Feb 26, 2005
8,448
1,070
126
Got my first mango of the year. Little on the small side, but overall delicious. Also, lychees are just about ready to go!

also, zone 5 sucks balls and you are a jerk. :triumph:
i can only pick up about a zone and a half in the greenhouse without going full out on heating.
 

herm0016

Diamond Member
Feb 26, 2005
8,448
1,070
126
we also planted 3 7 ft Colorado spruce and 3 7 ft Austrian pines this spring, along with elderberries, spice currents ( a native berry plant) service berries and jostaberries. along with 500 bulbs in the flower beds, and we have a bunch of perennial flowers in 4 in pots to go in this weekend.

its been a busy spring. we have been though 10 yards of compost and about 2 of potting soil.
 

nisryus

Senior member
Sep 11, 2007
758
139
106
hmm, wonder if I can grow lychee in Central Texas.... Jeebus, which state do you live in?
 

nisryus

Senior member
Sep 11, 2007
758
139
106
Ah I see. Thx Jeeebus. Wife is jealous after I shown her your lychees and mango. Maybe when we retire we will move to a better zone where we can actually grow more plants.
 

bbhaag

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2011
6,899
2,260
146
also, zone 5 sucks balls and you are a jerk. :triumph:
i can only pick up about a zone and a half in the greenhouse without going full out on heating.
Yes, yes it does especially in a year like this were winter just won't let go. We are forecasted to get more widespread frost tonight to....:( The what typically happens around here is it goes from cloudy and cool to balls hot and humid in just a couple days.
 

Jeeebus

Diamond Member
Aug 29, 2006
9,179
897
126
Ah I see. Thx Jeeebus. Wife is jealous after I shown her your lychees and mango. Maybe when we retire we will move to a better zone where we can actually grow more plants.

Lychees are getting harder and harder to grow here. The northern tip of West Palm Beach is still ok, but we generally don't get the chill hours required for good fruit set. Can't be too cold, but a couple weeks with nights between 45 - 55 are ideal, and we rarely get that anymore. This year we were fortunate and had some (relatively) cold weather and that did wonders for everything. I'll hopefully get around 800 mangoes if the iguanas, raccoons, and other pests don't take too many.
 

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
23,079
21,201
136
Lychees are getting harder and harder to grow here. The northern tip of West Palm Beach is still ok, but we generally don't get the chill hours required for good fruit set. Can't be too cold, but a couple weeks with nights between 45 - 55 are ideal, and we rarely get that anymore. This year we were fortunate and had some (relatively) cold weather and that did wonders for everything. I'll hopefully get around 800 mangoes if the iguanas, raccoons, and other pests don't take too many.

I remember the first time I tried lychee in Beijing in 2007. Amazing stuff.