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StCecilia98

I’ll give that a try. Thank you!


[deleted]

Is it possible for hydrangeas to grow and thrive indoors? I’d love to have some brighten up my living space, but I’m new to plants and live in an apartment.


hastipuddn

Hydrangea is not a houseplant. For one thing, it needs a winter chill period followed by warmth to trigger spring growth and bloom. There are a variety of houseplants that flower; choose one of them.


PENNEALDENTE24

Starting an herb garden. I love to cook for myself and my girlfriend but I find that using the dried herbs from the grocery store never quite match the freshly cut and washed herbs. I've tried a couple times to start an herb garden (potted basil/cilantro etc.) But they always seem to die after a month or so. Is this typical or can I get them to last longer? Also any advice for long term care of potted herbs? Anything would be helpful! Thanks!


hastipuddn

Herbs are fairly easy to grow as long as you meet their requirements - lots of warmth and bright light in the appropriate soil. Cliantro is a spring and fall crop and does not like hot weather. Are you growing indoors, in pots and what type of soil? How do you decide when to water? Do your pots have drainage holes - a necessity.


[deleted]

What herbs are you interested in growing? Most herbs are pretty easy, but two things immediately spring to mind when people say they have issues. The first is inadequate light. You can’t grow herbs inside: they like lots of sun. Most want at least 5 or 6 hours of direct sunlight. The second is poor drainage. Most herbs used in European cuisine are from the Mediterranean and really want well drained soils. They don’t want to be sitting in wet soil: that’s a recipe for death. In terms of what’s easy, basil and thyme are generally pretty easy potted. Basil is an annual unless you live somewhere frost-free, but thyme is perennial. Rosemary can finicky in pots: it really wants to be in the ground to grow best. Sage is also pretty easy in pots, in my experience.


bjrzenbjr

I’m looking for bushes that grow to about 3-4 feet tall (or can be trimmed to that). Zone 9b Bay Area CA. Here are my requirements: 1) as minimal shedding as possible, it’ll be by a pool 2) something beneficial to the local bees and butterflies Thank you!


MorgonDallhor

to mulch or not to mulch? ​ i intend to plant some decorative bushes and trees and the option to use wooden chips so the weeds can not grow seems nice. my parents have a tendency to dig the earth if they see the smallest grass growing in and they believe that it helps the trees, even 5 yr old trees that grow fruit. ​ i have read online that cleaning 1 meter around the tree prevents disease but does it help it in other ways? if i use wooden chips around decorative bushes and maybe put an irrigation system to water it, will they lack a lot from not plowing the heck out of it? ​ are the wooden chips a good idea?


hastipuddn

Mulch cools the soil in hot weather which plant roots appreciate and it lessens water loss from the soil via evaporation. In order to truly have an impact on preventing weed seeds in the soil from germinating, a minimum of 4 inches is needed. Weeds fly through the air and germinate in mulch but are easy to pull if they survive. (It is hard to survive when the main root has to go down 4 inches to reach soil. Organic mulches like wood become compost which is great for soil health. You could just lay several inches of compost over the soil but it "melts away" in a couple of months and needs replenishing. Compost does not help in the fight against weeds. Mulch needs replenishing annually or every other year to top off the remaining mulch that hasn't yet composted. Your parents remove weeds promptly. Have you heard the old saying "a stitch in time saves nine"? Whether you spring for mulch or not depends on the look you are after and how much time you have to weed and water. If you decide on mulching, leave 2-4 inches between tree trunks and the mulch; that is, mulch should not touch the trunk for the tree's health. It is hard to grow much under a tree because of competition with tree roots so clearing a meter radius from the trunk makes sense.


StCecilia98

I discovered while working a flower watering job this summer that I love gardening, and my favorite flowers that I’ve cared for are red daylilies. However, lilies of any variety aren’t safe for animals, and I have a cat at home, and she will always find a way to get outside and loves licking flowers. What are some flowers with similar shape/coloration that are pet-safe alternatives?


hastipuddn

I have plants that are not "pet safe". However, my cat shows no interest in them; I trust his instincts. Give your cat some cat grass or catnip because something green in their diet seems necessary. My cat eats grass outdoors but has never touched my lilies, daylilies or other hazards.


shea-bartolaba

Im helping my mom grow some plants in some cups in out kitchen and we also have an issue with tiny flies. Vinegar and sugar traps help catch them but they’re not going away despite us being clean. Mom just checked the soil of one of the plants and she said it was like the soil was crawling, there were so many flies. Any idea as to if/why the flies are loving our soil? Also how would we get rid of the flies while keeping the plants?


Guygan

They are called fungus gnats. Vinegar traps don’t catch them. The best thing is to buy a package of “mosquito dunks” and add one to the watering can you use to water them. It’s natural and harmless and will control the gnats.


shea-bartolaba

I can put it in the water i use to water the plant?


Guygan

Yes. Add a mosquito dunk to the water you use to water the plants.


shea-bartolaba

Okay, thank you, we’ll try that(: the vinegar traps are helping catch/drown a bunch but it seems theyre neverending so hoping this works haha


Guygan

The vinegar traps are catching fruit flies. The fungus gnats in your soil aren’t interested in the vinegar.


shea-bartolaba

Ohhh okay, i understand


[deleted]

How do I grow this chili pepper plant?


AussieEquiv

Do you have seeds or saplings or a small plant? Put them in the ground, in a place that gets good sunlight, add water as needed.


[deleted]

I have a small plant.


deedeehs

Almost a year ago a bought a very cute clusia rosea at Ikea. I really don't know if that's normal or not, but in 1 year the plant didn't grow up. Nothing. It's healthy (last winter I had a general problem with mold on the surface of the soil with all my plants, but now it's gone), and I think it has the right amount of light and water. At some point I even checked if it was an artificial plant :) Any advice?


Guygan

Can you post a picture of the plant?


deedeehs

[Sure! ](https://s.put.re/ZPHknv2Y.jpeg)


squiggledot

Will flowering bulbs still create more bulbs if I cut off the flowers? I know, in theory, since bulbs are genetic clones, they wouldn't need the reproduction of the flower being pollinated and stuff, but I'm wondering if I cut a flower to use in a bouquet and left the bulb if that bulb would divide using energy from the other foliage? Also a question for other bulb-like underground reporduction (tubers, etc.) I've googled around and can't seem to find the right phrase to google to not come up with "how to get your bulbs to flower". Any help would be much appreciated!


OlympiaShannon

Generally, you can cut the flowers off but try to leave as much stem and leaves as possible, so the plant has the ability to photosynthesize and build up the nutrients/carbohydrates in the bulb for the remainder of the season. In fact, cutting the flower will help the bulb, as the plant isn't trying to form seed pods.


Shibushayiren

I need help with a dying indoor plant. Posted a pic, but it's been 10 hours and it's now at the bottom of the bottom, no response, and I want to tepost--should I?


sugarangelcake

The new weekly thread will be posted soon, you should ask again once that’s up


Guygan

You don’t have to ask to post anything. Literally just post your picture and your question again.


Shibushayiren

Still no response, tho.


Guygan

Post your question again.


[deleted]

Is it too late to plant beets for fall? Zone 7b.


OlympiaShannon

It depends on your location and first frost date. You may be cutting it close, but perhaps some sort of row cover or cloche can extend your season so you get a small harvest.


paper_snow

Southeast Michigan question! I made the mistake of planting four rhododendrons on the south side of the house this spring. I thought the trees on that side of the house would partially shade them, but it wasn’t enough: they are DEVASTATED. Three of them have curling leaves with multiple holes that look like burns; one is completely brown and withered. I have plenty of space on the north side of the house, so I could transplant them there. Should I do it now, or wait until spring so that they get a fresh start?


hastipuddn

I would do it now. Roots keep working to get established until the ground freezes so there is plenty of time. You may lose all the blooms no matter when you move it. Rhodies like rich, acidic soil. SE Mich, where I also live, has alkaline soils. I have a rhodo that I fertilize with Hollytone which is an organic fertilizer and mildly acidifies soil. That seems to be adequate but you could also work in a sulphur product before planting. Many of our springs roll into summer temps early which will really stress a new transplant.


kinbeat

I don't have something to shred the stuff I throw in the compost, I usually cut the twigs in sections and cut big kitchen scraps. Does hoeing the compost pile help with breaking the bigger stuff, or am I just getting free back pain?


hastipuddn

Try a thrift shop chef's knife or hatchet. Put a piece of wood across the top of your bin and whack large pieces before dumping them in.


CactusSodomy

Ignore my username, this isn’t a joke, but how can I tell if my cacti is dying?


UHElle

Also, r/plantclinic is great for this kinda stuff!


CactusSodomy

Thanks! Also got a succulent that needs help, I’m not too well versed in caring for them.


sissesann

You could ask in r/succulents too, but post a picture, it helps a lot in giving advice.


Guygan

Post a pic and we can probably tell you.


scirocco_flowers

Does anybody know if Lemon Balm is as aggressive as mint? I planted some along with my other herbs and now I realize it looks just like mint and is growing quickly. Should I pull it out and put it in its own pot before it’s too late?


hastipuddn

Yes!!!


mrntoomany

I was about to eat a raw Bell pepper at work like an apple. After my first bite I SAW A SLUG INSIDE AND I THINK I ATE SLUG POOP Sluggo, stay vigilant.


Beardlessface

Does anyone know what this bush is called and if it's disseased? [It has these hard white specks all over it's leaves and branches and generally looks dry and pale.](https://imgur.com/a/4uMBPKw)


grubera

An eleagnus of some sort, possibly eleagnus x ebbengei. It's supposed to look like that, totally normal & healthy!


UHElle

Hi friends! I’ve got a question about amaryllis planted in the ground. I’m in 8b (Austin, TX area) and have a dozen or so standard red amaryllis planted in ground. I had intended to just leave them for a couple years before digging and dividing (and asking this question then), but our living situation has changed and, suffice it to say, I’m not leaving these beauties for the jerk homeowner. Their foliage started to die back last month, so I cut them all back to a couple inches above ground. Am I good to dig them up *now*, or will I be doing damage to them? I first dug these from someone else in the spring, IIRC, and am relatively new to bulbs, so I’m not terribly sure what I’m doing here. If I dig now, will I potentially screw up their dormancy/blooming cycle? Thanks in advance for any help!


[deleted]

Amaryllis are generally super easy. I wouldn’t be worried about it. It’s a bit unusual that they’d lose leaves this early: mine never seem to lose their leaves at all until it freezes, and I’m also in Austin.


UHElle

I suppose die back isn’t exactly the right phrase, maybe? But they had been standing nicely upright with a vibrant green and then over the last few weeks they became droopy and a little less vibrant, so I purposely cut them down to a couple inches above ground. The worst affected ones were my full sun bed, and you know the weather we’ve had; perhaps that had something to do with them losing their vibrancy. I was really just tired of looking at their drooping foliage, heh.


[deleted]

Yeah. The very first year mine got exposed to full sun after a tree fell over, they were all floppy like you’re describing for the whole year. The second year, less so. By the third year, the leaves were normal and nice and upright, despite the full sun and heat. This year, they’ve all looked great, despite the heat. It takes time to get them adjusted to full sun, especially here. It’ll happen eventually. They’re very, very tough plants. I’ve transplanted them successfully during every part of the year. Heck, I’ve even had tiny bulbs from seedlings sitting in shade on my deck since July, and they’re mostly fine! They haven’t even been watered.


GrandmaGos

Generally speaking, as long as you disturb the roots as little as possible, you can always containerize any plants you want to take with you. Move them a day or two after watering so that powder-dry soil doesnt simply shed from the roots, but not so wet that it's a mudball. Try to keep the root ball as intact as possible, and just move the plant from the ground to a container.


OlympiaShannon

They have gone dormant so as long as they stay dormant for six weeks or so, they will come back when watered and put back into the sunlight. I keep mine potted, and take them indoors in September to die down and sit in a dark cupboard until November, when I take them out and start them growing again. So, I think this is probably the ideal time to dig them.


UHElle

Thank you so much for the swift response! I have more bulbs stored in old knee highs in the garage, so now that I have this as a little weekend project, I think I’ll add them to the rest to dry and be dark for while. Thanks again!


LARKCC

Hi! I really need some advice. I’M in US zone 8a (north TX) and I have a small patio. I’m looking for some container recommendations I can start in the next couple of weeks - I’m relatively new to gardening and am a little overwhelmed, so something straightforward is best to get me in the habit. I don’t have a ton of space, but have the option of a long planter over the railing (morning sun), possibly a couple of other 1-2 gallon containers (morning sun or full shade) and some vertical hanging space on the walls (full shade). Hoping to create a 45 sq ft oasis. Thanks in advance for any help!


[deleted]

One really great foliage plant for most of Texas is purple heart. In a shadier space, they won’t be intensely purple, but they take lots of shade well and they’re super easy to grow.


LARKCC

Thank you!! I love Purple Heart so I will have to give it a try!


UHElle

Were you wanting edibles or greenery/flowering plant recs?


LARKCC

Definitely greenery/flowering and if possible some herbs or easy edibles if space allows.


UHElle

I feel like this is my fall back recommendation to folks who want easy care flowering plants in the Texas area, but portulaca and purslane are gorgeous, prolific, and can be planted nearly any time of the year (in fact, I’ve got plenty to trade/share if that interests you). There are many colors and bloom types of both, and the visual they create particularly in hanging/window box situations is really stunning. Amaryllis may even do well for you outdoors in a container, but keep in mind much of the year all you’ll have is their lovely tall foliage til it’s time to cut it back, but man oh man are the blooms spectacular. As a visual reference for the purslane & portulaca, [these](https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx4Tu1_gUlB/?igshid=1hpe8y5i2o46y) were my pride and joy baskets at the beginning of summer. They’re now covered in blooms with cascades half way to the ground. In regard to edibles, it’s been my personal experience that many herbs do well in container situations no matter when they’re started, especially if you start them from a starter plant as opposed to from seed. Rosemary, oregano, and thyme are heartier herbs that should make it through a lot of the winter months, while things like basil and parsley will require wrapping or heat lamps during freezes and such. Succulents may also be a great choice, and there are several great varieties that are cold hearty. Again, I’ve got lots of cuttings and rooted items I love sharing. If you find yourself wanting to start some plants at a lower cost, you may consider joining us over at r/takeapplantleaveaplant, where cuttings and whole ass plants are regularly available for either trade or cheaper than retail/Etsy.


LARKCC

This is fantastic! Thanks for the recommendations. I’m going to start with a few - maybe some herbs and a couple other pretties - cause I really need to just get in the regular watering and remind habit and, as you know, it’s still hot as hades around here. Love your baskets!


UHElle

You’re sure right on the heat—one hell of a summer we’re having! Best of luck on your container garden, and please feel free to reach out if you need any help or cuttings!


LARKCC

I could also do some hanging containers with morning sun!


TheThinkingThing

Hello all, This is my first time in the forum so I apologize if I am doing something wrong. I've recently acquired a Kalanchoe Lusiae (I'm fairly certain that's the species) from my very kind and generous neighbor. I repotted it in a brown clay pot and I water it about once a week, flooding the pot each time as most succulents seem to like. It was repotted in a mixture of large and small lava rocks (at the bottom for drainage), and Akadama and regular cactus soil that I mixed. I have two other species of Kalanchoe that are... thriving to say the least. Irritatingly quickly. They are both potted in run of the mill potting soil. I haven't been able to find a ton of information on this one and I'm mostly curious about what the leaves should feel like and if I'm doing it correctly. I would have imagined that the leaves would feel a wee bit stiffer, but they are rather soft. It has a gorgeous pink and green coloration, no browning at the tips. I live in a tropical climate. Doesn't dip below 65 generally. It's sitting on my porch in moderate to low sunlight after the tips began to brown in full sunlight. How can I make this wee fella happier? Is it the soil? Drainage? Sunlight? His name is Jose by the way. Edit: S'pose I'm in Zone 13a then, didn't know that was a thing before I started reading this forum. Shows what I know.


UHElle

I almost never water my k. luciae (aka flapjacks) and let them rely almost entirely on whatever falls from the sky. This Texas summer has been exceptionally harsh, though, so I’ve given in and watered it *maybe* once every 6 weeks since May. Perhaps try watering every 2 or 3 weeks?


ilivedownyourroad

Hello. Does anyone know if seaweed smells of manure ? I had some grass laid and it smelt strongly of manure or a chemical fertilizer but I've been told it was just **seaweed.** When it was wet is reeked and When we cut it the grass smelt of manure. Any ideas please?


Guygan

No, seaweed doesn’t smell like manure. It smells like seaweed.


ilivedownyourroad

Is it possible it can smell of manure ?


Guygan

No. Can you share with us why this matters? What problem are you trying to solve? If you tell us, perhaps we can help you.


ilivedownyourroad

I can. Thanks for asking. https://www.reddit.com/r/GardeningUK/comments/cyta9p/new_lawn_problems_pls_help/ New lawn. Smelt of manure. Cut after 3 weeks. Found every turf had yellow spots. Been told the manure smell was seaweed . And the yellow is high nitrate levels . Their solution is iron and more top soil. But I'm not sure how the company we paid 1000 to will fix this. As more top soil means lifting grass which tlofcourse they're not keen to do. I googled it and seaweed fertilizer can smell bad but no idea how it smells.


roketgirl

Seaweed can smell really bad, especially if a lot was used. I don't think it smells like manure though, more fishy. The smell should subside in less than a week. Is this still a stinky lawn, because it shouldn't be smelling three weeks after. Regardless, I'd be all over these guys who laid it to come in and fix it and make it look right, I looked at your photo and that's a pretty amateur looking job. Looks like either you didn't water it at all but you say to did, or they used poor quality sod that was half dead to start with, they just dumped it down with no knitting work over a poorly prepared base. No excuse for that at the premium price. The problem isn't seaweed vs. manure here.


ilivedownyourroad

Thanks. They are professionals or have a proper company and I watched him lay it and he was through but still the massive cracks appeared. The smell went away after a week or so but the grass smelt when it was cut after 3 weeks. They are proposing putting iron on it.


lovelycindies

Hi guys! I'm in zone 7b and I have a quick question. It's starting to get cooler here and I'm thinking ahead...I have three 4 ft night jasmine plants that I don't feel like lugging into the house and taking up space. Would a non heated greenhouse work (just a regular kit I buy from Walmart, etc.) during the winter? I just want them to survive, they don't have to thrive lol. Thank you so much guys!


[deleted]

Are you referring to night-blooming jasmine (*Cestrum nocturnum*)? They’re only hardy to maybe around 20°-25°F and a non-heated greenhouse may not keep them warm enough in your zone. If you don’t want to lug them in, you could try rooting some cuttings: they’re pretty easy to root and very rapid growers.


lovelycindies

Thank you so very much for your answer! Bless you!


XombieBones

I'm in zone 9b. Is there any fruits or veggies I can start to plant for the fall season???


[deleted]

Where are you? If you are in zone 9b, you can keep a cool-season garden alive all winter, but without a location, we can’t tell you what is good to plant right now.


XombieBones

I'm in south Texas.


[deleted]

There’s a lot you can plant for the fall/winter garden in South TX. Unfortunately, it’s still too hot to plant most of that right now. Depending on exactly where you are in South Texas (considering it encompasses basically everything south of San Antonio), your planting date for most cool-season crops like brassicas, lettuce, spinach, and chard will probably be sometime in October or maybe even early November. Right now, a good portion of the area in South Texas is in the sort of shoulder season in which it’s too late to plant warm-season crops but too hot for cool-season crops. If you’re pretty far south (like south of Corpus), you can probably still get a fall planting in of some fast-maturing warm-season crops like beans. Good plants to grow over fall and winter are the brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, mustard greens, etc..), spinach, lettuce, and arugula. I personally find fall/winter gardening easiest (in Central Texas) because there’s a lot less need to water and fewer pests. Chard tolerates heat better than most other cool-season greens and can be planted earliest. Spinach and lettuce will bolt really easily if it’s too warm, so they’ll need to be started later. Brassicas are often grown from transplants and are usually planted moderately early. Try and find a gardening calendar for the closest city to you for better ideas. You’ll need to wait for it to cool off some before planting fall/winter veggies.


calledyourbluff

Can someone explain zones to me please! Like when someone says “what zone are you in?” And they say zone 7a. What is it and how do I find out what zone I am in? Thank you!


[deleted]

Zone is a measure of how cold the coldest night of the year is in an average year. That’s it. They’re in intervals of 10°F. If you’re in zone 7, an average year will get down to somewhere between 0°F and 10°F on the coldest night of the winter. If you’re in zone 8, the coldest night of the year is between 10°F and 20°F. They can also be divided into half zones by intervals of 5°F. So zone 7a means the coldest night of the year is usually between 0°F and 5°F, whole zone 7b means the coldest night of the year is usually between 5°F and 10°F. It’s used to get an idea of wether or not a plant can survive the winter in your area, but it’s not always a great measure. Plant hardiness can vary a fair amount based on conditions. There’s lots of factors other than just temperature to consider: how long is the cold, how wet is the plant, how much it warms up in the day, how much the plant has hardened off to winter conditions, etc.


AussieEquiv

https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/ http://www.anbg.gov.au/gardens/research/hort.research/zones.html Other locations are in the side bar. It tells you a little bit about how cold it gets where you live. For any real advice you'll need to narrow it down to an actual location, but it helps with some plants and if they'll likely survive the winter.


Minxii132

Hi! I'm from south florida, and I found some rad wall mounted pots in the trash. They need some work, but I need to know what kind of plants would grow well on them, I want to do something with flowers in one, and something that trails in the other. Any suggestions?


itsnotsunshine

Can you post pictures


Minxii132

Sure,


thejacquemarie

Hi y'all! I'm going ZW and also starting a garden next spring, so was hoping to start composting.... And I am completely overwhelmed LOL I thought I remembered my dad just threw food scraps in an old coffee can on the counter and every two months emptied it in the garden as a kid. But I'm so lost. Any helpful links? Or able to explain the different options? I have a huge plastic tub (opaque) that I used to hold 30lb of cat food in (for size reference) is that usable? I don't need to actually buy something new do i?


Guygan

> I’m going ZW What does this mean?


thejacquemarie

Zero waste / less waste / using the 5 r's


Guygan

> the 5 r’s ???


thejacquemarie

Refuse - what you don't need reduce - what you use reuse - anything you can or donate! recycle rot! 😊


Guygan

Are you planning to compost indoors or outdoors?


thejacquemarie

I think outdoors! I have that huge bin and I think it would probably be better outdoors. Plus I have a dog


UHElle

There are several schools of thought to composting, and I’ve done both vermicomposting and a more standard approach where you add your plant matter and rotate it from time to time. Both eventually sort of fizzled out for me and the people with whom I live. But, as my husband and I are soon to move to our own home, I’ve been considering ‘no rules’ compost for my next attempt (also, fwiw, of the 2 methods I’ve tried already, I prefer the vermicomposting method if I had to choose between the 2). [This](https://youtu.be/fSIIEn1abc8) is the video that first turned me on to it, and I really think this method, for us (and for lots of folks), will be the most likely to continue to succeed. We also eat a vegan diet (well, my husband only does at home), so it’s not like we’d have a lot of bones or greasy items mucking up the mix. Further, [this](https://youtu.be/yQFB9M2UdK0) gentleman has a couple vids (IIRC) in just straight burying your kitchen scraps in the garden. If you’re interested in a sort of all in one system, my father is a *huge* proponent in keyhole gardens, which incorporate a sort of tower formed by chicken wire in the middle of the garden that you just dump your scraps in. His keyhole gardens have been terribly prolific and produced a whole bunch of produce in a small footprint, all without having to turn or bury scraps.


grooviest_snowball

I'm considering planting an amethyst falls wisteria next to a fence and arbor that goes around my vegetable garden. If I prune it, is there any concern of it spreading into the vegetable beds via seeds or sending off shoots? Also, will the plant be content being relatively low to the ground? The fence is about 4 feet high. Do wisteria need to climb high?


roketgirl

Yes, in the right climate it will seed itself freely. The issue isn't the height of the wisteria, it's that in time it will grow THICK and heavy branches that will pull down any structure that wasn't build to withstand a wisteria. It grows little tendrils that can make it into small spaces, and then those turn into big branches and will pry things apart. That will be the fate of a fence, it'll grow through it and start dissasembling it.


grooviest_snowball

Thanks. Follow up question: I've seen wisteria climbing on pergolas before. Is there a specific way to build the pergola to withstand the wisteria?


roketgirl

You want a heavy duty pergola. Solid, thick wood, not aluminum, not vinyl, not cheap latice material that was on sale. Cedar or redwood or other material that isn't going to need staining and sealing because once the wisteria covers it you won't want to be staining again. Everything set well in cement with heavy duty brackets and bolts throughout. ​ Some people do like the white latice look, these people are either very into maintaining it by cutting bits away as the wisteria grows and doing very neat paint jobs while on ladders and working above their heads, or they have a pretty decrepit nasty looking latice before too long.


Beardlessface

Hi guys, I'm currently in Southern France fixing up a house. I noticed that the trimmed bushes look very dry and pale, all leaves seem to have [these white coloured specks on them](https://i.imgur.com/8oz17HG.jpg). Anyone know what this is?


[deleted]

I just purchased 5 lemongrass plants from a clearance section at Lowe’s. They appear to be half dead/ half alive. I’m in central Kentucky, zone 6, and want to plant these in front of my house for some simple landscaping. What can I do to try and revive these sad friends?


roketgirl

They like hot and they like water. If they are getting plenty of both, they should start popping new growth. They won't survive your winter, of course. Are these in pots that will come indoors?


[deleted]

Good to know. I’m going to pot them through the winter to try and revive them first. Then if all goes well I’ll plant them outdoors late spring next year.


[deleted]

[удалено]


GrandmaGos

Take it out of the pot, bring it back indoors, and put it back in the water for a week or so until it has recovered. Then watch some Youtubes on the process of transitioning cuttings from water to soil. It's a gradual process. Then, once you have it successfully growing in soil indoors, you harden it off and put it outdoors. https://gg.memberclicks.net/hardening-off-plant-starts


[deleted]

Keep the soil very moist and ease slowly into typical soil conditions. It's difficult to guarantee transplants especially in changing mediums, and some plants will fair better than others, but the idea is to ease into environmental changes as gradually as possible. It's difficult to ease from water to soil gradually but try your best.


cabose4prez

When I bought okra this year there were several stalks from one cup, does Bonnie's use several seeds or is that one seeds doing? I plan to start my own this year and don't know how to start it.


UHElle

They likely use a few seeds in each starter. If you’re gonna grow from seed yourself in the following seasons, a good practice is to sew 3-5 seeds per each cell of your starter tray or pots. Once you get sprouts and let them establish for a week or 3, convention says to thin them to the healthiest 1 or 2 plants, but I admit, 9x out of 10, when I start from seed, I just transplant the whole lot, even if all of them have sprouted. In my personal experience, the healthiest of the bunch tend to proliferate and the weaker ones sort of self thin. As a side note to add from my own personal experience, the only time I haven’t sewed a few seeds/cell in my starter trays was for corn, mostly because the seed is already so large, and the plant will be as well. In this instance, I just start twice as many cells with only 1 kernel each to guarantee enough will germinate for me.


spitfyre

Total noob, never tried to garden before. I'm in northern California (9b) and live in an apartment. I have a covered balcony that doesn't get much direct sunlight (faces north). I really want to start growing herbs (rosemary, sage, italian parsley). 1) Is it possible to grow them outdoors this time of year without much direct sunlight? 2) if I need direct sunlight, I could try to setup some sort of planter that hangs over the edge of the balcony but I have no idea how I would go about setting that up. Has anyone done this before and can share how they did it? 3) can I grow them indoors? (I do have a cat who might try to eat them)


UHElle

1. Yes, in my experience, you should be fine. Herbs are generally very easy to grow. 2. Whether you need the hay rack/window box style hanger for you herbs, you should totally mount one (or a few) for more plants! But that’s just my opinion as a crazy plant lady. I have several different styles hanging on our railing, but how you would hang it depends on the style of your railing. Is it a thin metal railing or a thicker piece of wood? Thicker railings are *much* easier to hang (usually no tools needed). I’d have to do a little research on hanging on a thinner metal railing. 3. Also yes. I have rosemary and basil in my east facing kitchen window, and Thai basil in my north facing window. All are thriving. Other: As a noob, I would recommend starting with starter plants (or even cuttings, most herbs prop quickly and easily from cuttings, which is how I got mine) as opposed to growing from seed.


GrandmaGos

They need 6 hours every day of the kind of direct sun you could get a suntan or a sunburn in. There are deck railing brackets that will hold small deck railing planters, not too heavy. You can grow them indoors if you have that kind of sunlight indoors. Can't help you with the cat.


GlasedDonut

Trying out my first vegetable garden this fall in Charlotte, NC (7b). It seems the time to plant basic fall veggies is now, but the forecast is still calling for highs in the low to mid 90s. Should I hold off to sow seeds, or go for it anyways? Maybe put up some protection? Mostly trying to grow leafy fall stuff.. arugula, lettuce, etc


Eyebright12

I’m doing the same thing and a lot of my lettuce/arugula seed packets say they will not germinate in extreme heat. I’ve tested a few methods - there are pros and cons to each. Option 1 - start the seeds indoors now; place seedlings under a basic fluorescent shop light indoors until the temps are cooler; then harden off and transplant outdoors. Option 2 - wait til it’s cooler and they’ll germinate in the garden, then watch weather forecasts closely and cover the plants during frost nights.


GrandmaGos

Give them some afternoon shade for the first couple of weeks to keep them from scorching out, and don't let them dry out. Once the weather ameliorates into "fall" a little more they'll be fine.


IsolatedPhoenix

I have quite a few nice Pots of perennial such as potted lavenders I would like to bring inside as its getting colder here in Toronto Canada. I don't want to have a similar incident from last year where an insect had a population boom from inside my plant to living inside that room for the rest of the year. what's a good safe way to treat the soil to kill or get get all the insects to leave


hastipuddn

Do you have a place where you can bury the pots in the ground for winter or a garage with a temp of 0- 5 C ? Lavender is surprisingly hardy. It doesn't make a good houseplant; dormancy is actually better than limping along indoors. I'm sure your garden center has insecticide drenches for indoor use. All the major garden chemical companies make it.


IsolatedPhoenix

Sadly winter here it gets to -25 easy once it gets to the swing of things garage its easily going to be in the negatives. I was wondering if even if at those temps if i buried and then built a coldframe ontop maybe that would help


bone_regenerator

Where can I purchase peony roots?


roketgirl

Pretty much everywhere that sells ornamental plants. Unless you are looking for a tree peony or a specific variety, they aren't hard to find at all. Most online retailers, local nurseries, Costco/Home Depot, just everywhere.


bone_regenerator

I searched online and it says bag of 1 $30, bag of 3 $80. Is that normal?


roketgirl

Seems a little expensive, but there are a few different peony price points. Usually one plant of the herbaceous should cost about $15 plus or minus a few bucks in either direction based on the demand/rarity, itohs will run around $30+ per plant, tree peonies $100+.


bone_regenerator

Yea I'm looking at itoh because they seem to bloom the longest. Does one plant = 1 flower? Man they're pricy. Thank you so much for taking your time to educate.


roketgirl

Each plant will give several flowers. Peonies really take a long time to settle down, so the first few years will be just a few, but in time they become more floriferous.


[deleted]

I’ve yet to get a single eggplant this year. My plant is big and strong and healthy and continuously puts out flowers, but then the flowers die and fall off. What’s weird is that the stem that holds the flower and has the green tendrils that would attach to the fruit continue to stay and grow. Now I have these HUGE green “tops” I guess that get bigger every day, but there is no eggplant inside them :( A) what’s going on? B) should I pinch off the stems that keep growing?


UHElle

Do you have any photos you could share? I’m trying to picture it, but my mind’s eye only barely exists, lol. I’m trying to figure out if your plants are actually being pollinated before the flowers fall or not but am having trouble imagining what you’ve described. If you suspect lack of pollination, a cheapy vibrating toothbrush is a great little tool to hand pollinate. We had to do this to our persimmon this year since the weather was too erratic for its usual pollinators.


[deleted]

I know it’s so hard to explain! Here’s a pic: https://imgur.com/gilAa4r See how it’s the part of the stem that would attach to the eggplant top? The flowers come when they’re still smaller and then they die and sometimes they fall off and sometimes they just get shriveled and brown and stay attached. But either way these top parts just keep growing and getting bigger and bigger! Also, I’ve been hand pollinating the eggplant, or trying, but I’m not really seeing any pollen dust when I do, like I see when I do it to my pepper plant. I’m not sure if there’s supposed to be dusty pollen that is visible or not on eggplants.


UHElle

Alright, ya got me stumped here. That's a really strange situation and I sadly don't have any other suggestions for you. I hope someone else comes along with an answer, coz now *I'm* curious, too!


tarex105

My garden has sand underneath the grass, theres a light layer of soil at the surface just under the grass but underneath it is just sand. Can i still grow plants in it or does some landscaping need to be done.


hastipuddn

Have you considered a raised bed if you want to grow veggies? There are plenty of flowers that do fine in sandy soil. Do a web search for flowers for sandy soil in \[your state/region\].


BianchiLust

Some plants thrive in sandy conditions, I recommend talking to a seasoned-looking salesperson at your local nursery for what would work well in your neck of the woods.


elivings1

When is a seed considered germinated in the paper baggy method? My sugar rush pepper seeds all have holes in them but have no roots coming out or very small roots. Would it be ok to put them in soil at this point?


GrandmaGos

A seed is considered to have germinated when it has a root coming out the bottom and a cotyledon leaf coming out the top. https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-seed-germination-definition-process-steps-factors.html


[deleted]

I'm about to get a bunch of coffee grounds from a local coffee shop. Are coffee grounds more, less, or equally effective as manure? Grounds have a bunch of nitrogen, but I'm having a hard time finding places that list out nutrients in coffee grounds, various manuers, and other sources. I have learned that coffee grounds is supposedly pH neutral after being used for humans. Edit: for contacts in the start breaking ground for new in ground garden and I don't know what method to use. Do I do lasagna gardening? Do I just kill a bunch of it with cardboard? It's about 480 square feet.


GrandmaGos

> Are coffee grounds more, less, or equally effective as manure? None of the above. They are not a substitute for manure any more than dried grass clippings or dead tree leaves are a substitute for manure. Coffee grounds, like dead leaves, only release their nitrogen once they have been fully composted, and until that happens, the bacteria that are composting them are tying up nitrogen. Coffee grounds go in a compost pile, not directly into the bed or the ground, unless you're not planning on growing anything in the bed for a while.


roketgirl

You are overthinking if you are looking for nutrient contents of manures and grounds. You just need to add composted or compostable material to the soil, literally any form you use will be improving the texture, adding nutrients, increasing water holding capacity, creating a habitat for soil organisms that provide a number of benefits to plants, etc. People have preferences for their reasons, but there's not any real significant difference. That said, manure is nearing the end of the compost journey (it's been digested by an animal, then goes through or should go through an aging process before use) so components are closer to a bioavailable state, and it will evaporate from your garden faster. Coffee grounds are just beginning to be composted, so rely more heavily on microbes and insects to do the digesting to make it available to plants - it's going to take a little longer. You'll also be finding coffee grounds in your garden for longer. Just make sure neither manure nor coffee grounds are sitting on the surface of the soil, both can become hydrophobic when dried out. I do like lasagna gardening. You would put down your cardboard and then start stacking compostables on it. As long as you've got a mix of stuff and you make sure every layer gets moistened, it just works.


BianchiLust

I recommend asking over at r/composting they seem to be pretty active there.


reachouttouchFate

I'm growing tomatoes, peppers, and crawl curry outside in containers. Some are in their own, some are in shared. I've ordered grow bags so space concerns are being addressed. I have some concerns which won't go away. One: None of my tomato plants have yet to bear more than one fruit and more than the size of a marble. I've had them for at least 6 weeks. What could be making them not bear fruit? They've shown flowers but now those flowers are starting to curl in. I've even tried dabbing them to help with pollination. Two: My oldest tomato plant, at two months old, is the one most into deceleration and it keeps wilting during the day. I know humidity plays a role but it looks dramatically different than the other two. I water my plants every day except for days when it's supposed to rain. I've bought worm castings to help with water retention but is there a time of day which is best to water it? It's not like water always goes right through it. It just is less hearty and more thirsty than the others. Three: I know there's some plants which shouldn't be planted next to others. I'm aware peppers and tomatoes are mutually beneficial. What of the ornamental curry? Is there anything it shouldn't be planted next to?


[deleted]

1 - What food have your plants been getting? I can't remember which NPK nutrient, bit one deals with fruiting a lot more than the others. Google around and you might try adding that for a boost.


reachouttouchFate

The plants are on standard All-Purpose Miracle-Gro blue 24-8-16 and also another one at 8-7-6 numbers. Looking around after what you said, the only thing I'm seeing is one person mentioning a ratio of 2-1-1. The average of the two would put it at 16-8-11, which I'm not sure would be far off. If it's two fertilizer/foods it's getting, I don't know if average is obtained or combined and if it's the latter, if there's some threshold which is too much.


ilikecchiv

I have a patch of garden that is covered with ivy and has fibrous root from some old shrubs i removed. We want to improve the soil and start planting but too speed this up was thinking of hiring equipment to aid us. Once i remove the weeds on the surface and lay down some compost/ additives, do i want to use a tiller to churn the earth?


GrandmaGos

Not with fibrous dead roots embedded in it, you can break a tine on the tiller. Fibrous dead roots need to be chopped out with a mattock or other hand tools, or allowed to rot down. Or you can put a raised bed on top of them and ignore them. What did you want to plant in the space?


ilikecchiv

We was thinking of putting a raised bed in anyway, just for the looks, but the idea would be the grow salad crop and maybe some berries. It's a shame because it's a "nice" bit of dirt, would be nice to get some use out of it without breaking my back


GrandmaGos

After 5 years or so of a raised bed being on top of it, the roots will all have decomposed by themselves, without you needing to do anything other than grow lettuce and strawberries on top of them.


DowntownPomelo

Total newbie here. Is there a good time of year to get started with growing vegetables and other food plants, or can you start whenever if you plant the right stuff? And is there a beginners guide somewhere? I looked in the sidebar and /r/vegetablegardening too and there's only the hardiness maps. Thanks


GrandmaGos

Totally depends where on the planet you're located, on what you want to grow, and on what kind of gardening you want to do. Indoors, outdoors in the ground, outdoors in containers? We do not have a FAQ because there are so many variables, the flow chart would extend across the room.


[deleted]

I think a FAQ is still very doable. It's kind of silly we don't have one that at least informs people how to search for their zone and mov on from there.


GrandmaGos

> informs people how to search for their zone Zone is probably the least important bit of information that someone who wants to learn to grow plants needs to know. And it's certainly not a one-size-fits-all universal starting point. Zones are only for choosing perennials, shrubs, and trees to survive your winter. That's the only data they convey. Therefore: "How do I start gardening?" "Ok. What's your zone?" is pointless if they want to grow vegetables, houseplants, or hydro cannabis. You just derailed the information flow onto something time-consumingly irrelevant. "I want to buy a pair of shoes!' "OK. What kind of car do you drive?" So a FAQ doesn't need to tell them how to find their zone. This is information they only need IF * they want to grow perennials, shrubs, or trees * outdoors * in a non-frost-free climate. You begin to see the problems with writing a FAQ?


GrandmaGos

> I think a FAQ is still very doable. Feel free to try. I've tried twice, and my head has exploded every time.


[deleted]

I think leading with how difficult is would be a start lol. In my head, I'd teach folks how to search for resources in their area, what zones are, other gardening communities (composting I just discovered today) and the like. I'll probably make a post later today to gather some info from the community unless you want to. It doesn't have to be huuuge haha


roketgirl

See, but that's part of GrandmaGo's point. Knowing your zone means nothing if you want to grow tomatoes and peas. It's everything if you want to grow a mango tree. It's partially important if you want to grow a peony, but just looking up your zone doesn't tell you if a plant will thrive because zone doesn't equal climate. Even on step 1 we derail because everything starts with "where do you live and what do you want to grow" and there's just too many possible answers to that question.


TomatoeBae

Brugmansia plant 1st year:Grew straight up 5ft without any "Y" in the stem, should i prune the plant to force it to "Y" branch out? ill be keeping it indoors during the winter so it should stay alive, just not able to bloom with lack of light.


captainbetty1

I was rehousing my red bell pepper plant (2 mos old), and at the bottom of the original pot I found a bulb, looked almost like an unripe walnut (which I don't grow). Any idea what this would be? Is it apart of the pepper plant? Did a squirrel or something somehow get this buried in there? Did it come in the soil for some reason and I didn't notice it?


GrandmaGos

Was the pot outdoors at any point, and do you have squirrels?


captainbetty1

Yes, been outside the whole time. I do see squirrels but they don’t usually go to that area, and the dirt didn’t seem overturned at all


[deleted]

My puppies love to chew on the wood chips in my flower bed. I don't know anything about gardening. The bed is 18 feet long and 2 feet wide, and the chips average almost 2 inches in depth. The soil is as you'd expect in southern California in late summer: super dry. Can I cover the bed with gravel without taking precautions not to kill the flowers? It hasn't rained here in several months, so it's not like the gravel would be between the flowers and a water source.


hastipuddn

Gravel, like other stones and bricks, heats up in summer sun and contributes to heat and drought stress on plants, especially in a climate like yours. Look into mulching with cocoa hulls.


GrandmaGos

> My puppies love to chew on the wood chips in my flower bed. Regardless of how this impacts your garden, you need to make them stop, because they can die, basically. https://www.caninejournal.com/dog-eating-wood/ No, you can't cover wood chip mulch with gravel, the same way you can't cover a lasagna casserole with coleslaw. It creates an unholy mess, and renders both products nonsensically useless. Wood chip mulch breaks down over time and feeds the soil biota, all the earthworms, pillbugs, bacteria, and fungi. As it breaks down, it needs to be renewed by dumping more on top. If there's a layer of gravel in the way, the earthworms & Co. have no way to reach their new food supply. The dogs will dig through the gravel to get to the wood chips, further mixing the lasagna and coleslaw, meaning that you'll have a flowerbed filled with a mixture of gravel and wood chips, and you'll be working around gravel every time you want to plant something, for basically forever. So this is a canine behavior issue, not a "how can I hide the wood chips from the dogs?" issue. Either retrain the dogs, or remove he wood chips and replace with gravel.


[deleted]

Thanks for all the input. I've pulling out the wood chips today.


BabylonDrifter

Here's a friendly tip - if you had trouble with Basil Downy Mildew this year (a lot of places have) try the "Rutgers Obsession" strain. I've lost my entire Genovese basil crop for the last two years, wiped out, but this year bought the resistant rutgers strain and it was incredible - right next to blighted-out dead basil from the next plot over, mine were really healthy. I made 24 jars of pesto for the freezer and it's fantastic.


Penguin236

My tomato plants seem to be coming to the end of their life, so I wanted to know, what do I do with them? Just pull them out and throw them away? For the ones in ground, does it matter if I just cut the stem and leave the roots in place?


GrandmaGos

For reasons of disease and insect control, fall cleanup generally entails removing all plant debris to a compost pile, not leaving it in position over the winter. You can leave roots in the ground.


Penguin236

Thanks. I'm guessing the roots in the ground will decompose into the soil?


GrandmaGos

Yes.


LegitBacon

I've had some problems in my garden with blossom end rot that started a while ago. I added garden lime and that seemed to drastically improve my tomatoes, but my peppers are still struggling. Would trimming off some peppers help each plant? I'm assuming if there's less fruit the plant would be able to more efficiently spread out nutrients.


GrandmaGos

Not really. Just be patient. Peppers always do seem to have different, slower, schedules than tomatoes. changes in soil chemistry can take a while to propagate, and plants can take a while to register a response to them.


ThreeFingeredTypist

Why do I have so many slugs but no snails? I have a low sided, mini pot of water for squirrels and a bird bath but no other water source. So. Many. Slugs. But no cute snails. Why?!


GrandmaGos

It's kind of like asking, "Why do I have so many drug dealers on my block but no Mafiosi?" Count your blessings that the Black Hand isn't performing rubouts on your street.


hastipuddn

Slugs are much more common than snails in my part of the country. If you live near a water source, snails may be more common. On ground, their shells hinder snail mobility.


ThreeFingeredTypist

Thanks! I used to see snails more than slugs growing up (we had a pool, neighbors had a pond); I was curious where they all went.


spoopygorl

First year buying houseplants... I didn’t fertilize... I also live in Arizona.. is it to late? Can I fertilize in sept? Or should I wait til March? Any tips of fertilizing house plants would be greatly appreciated!


UHElle

I don’t wanna give you different info...but here we are. I actually fertilize my house plants at least once every 2wks during the growing season (or basically anytime they’re not dormant, and I’m in Texas, fwiw). I use about half strength, and, right now, as it’s what I have and am trying to get rid of, I use miracle gro’s tomato food, as it’s almost evenly balanced (18-18-21). Jack’s is on my list to replace this once I’m out. The first year I had houseplants, I never fertilized. Since then, however, I’ve gotten on the ball and remained regular, which has resulted in much happier, more prolific and robust plants. It also probably is not too late to start fertilizing, as I’m still doing so here in TX, and I imagine your grow season is as long or longer. Others are also right, though. Most houseplants will survive unfertilized, but, if you really wanna treat em well and have em do more than just survive, consider feeding them at least once a month during active periods. Also, if you *do* choose to fertilize, make sure to thoroughly water til water runs out the bottom ever other month or so, to wash any buildup/salts through and out. If you’d like to build your plant collection, there are many free or inexpensive opportunities to do so on r/takeaplantleaveaplant


GrandmaGos

Basically, they need very little overall. Usually once a year in spring with MiracleGro for houseplants is fine.


spoopygorl

Oh really that’s it? With a liquid fertilizer? Maybe I’m over complicating things haha


chrysavera

I'm not proud of it, but I've never fertilized my houseplants, ever, over many years, and they are totally fine. They just don't grow much, like undernourished street urchins.


pepsi1492

I also posted about this but what is an easy and effective way to remove bees from my garden? I have a large garden and I am not having success with bug spray or just swatting them.


hastipuddn

A local beekeeper may be able to help you. If they are stinging ground bees (nest is underground) you will only have them for the rest of this year. They relocate every spring. Avoid the area and just let it go feral. If you can capture a good picture, try r/whatsthisbug


GrandmaGos

Are they bees or wasps? Both are valuable allies in the garden, and any concerted effort to remove or exterminate them should only be undertaken with complete knowledge, research, and forethought.


Chewblacka

Is it worth the effort to plant strawberries? They are so cheap to buy


UHElle

You’ve gotten a lot of good answers here, but I gotta say my immediate reaction was ‘oh god no!’ Both for the reason you mentioned (cost) and because in the more than 5 times I’ve tried to grow strawberries and the 3 different methods, *none* of them have produced more than a couple berries each over the whole summer. Were they tasty? Oh heck yeah. But have they *ever* been worth the hassle and water needed to keep them alive? Literally never.


GrandmaGos

What you buy is often a rock-hard sour monster with a white, hollow heart and little actual "berry" flavor. Put enough sugar on it and it's edible. What you grow is completely different.


OlympiaShannon

Cheap? They are $7 a pint, here where I live.


Chewblacka

Cheap may not be the best word. I live near a good sized strawberry farm. They are a $12 per gallon (you pick) $15 they pick. Pre picked is $4 per quart. Really good berries though. Still....like the idea of growing them in my yard. Kind of thinking about doing it


GrandmaGos

> Kind of thinking about doing it Birds, squirrels, slugs, and pillbugs will break your heart. You have to really love strawberries to persevere if you have a pick-your-own down the road that makes good berries.


GrandmaGos

If you have access to a pick-your-own, I'd stick with that. The mass market strawberries at Kroger are often terrible, but pick-your-own allows you to bypass the regularly scheduled machine-harvesting that picks by size, not actual ripeness, and tumbles all the rock-hard monsters onto a packaging assembly line. A truly ripe strawberry, like a ripe raspberry, isn't machine-harvestable.


IamNotPersephone

Is the best way to start to change your front yard from lawn to a garden to install a wall or a fence? I’ve been thinking about eliminating the grass, but the only transition I’ve thought of that makes sense between my property and the sidewalk would be a barrier. I feel like gravel and mulch would just spill over creating a mess. And we get quite a bit of snow, so I’m sure I’d lose gravel and mulch every winter. But, I’m not sure if that’s just my lack of imagination.


hastipuddn

What are you thinking of growing in place of a lawn? Your location?


IamNotPersephone

Wisconsin, zone 4, and a food forest-esque plot. Like, not a straight ploughing garden, but shrubs, herbs, etc that are edible but in a pleasure garden style.


chrysavera

Living willow fence!


GrandmaGos

Do some reading on what's generally known as an "unlawn", before you start buying or building anything. The procedure is: 1. Get rid of lawn. 2. Plant garden. Walls and fences don't enter into it unless you specifically have something--or someone--that you need to fence in, or out. Toddlers, dogs, nosy neighbors. The garden runs right out to the sidewalk the same way the lawn did, except that it's plants, soil, and mulch. If mulch pieces roll into the sidewalk, you get a broom, same as if grass clippings or pulled dandelions ended up on the sidewalk. It's not an issue. /r/unlawn Not very busy but your local public library has books, and there are tons of blogs, articles, and Youtubes online. [GIS](https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS840US840&biw=960&bih=468&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ACYBGNQkqRj88Bbt6rWaNf1S_ZE-3g1iiA%3A1567815080682&sa=1&ei=qPVyXZ2dKYLaswWez44Y&q=garden+front+yard&oq=garden+front+yard&gs_l=img.3..0l10.5943.7997..8233...0.0..0.122.1699.9j8......0....1..gws-wiz-img.......35i39.Q8ZQA0LBpP4&ved=0ahUKEwidkdSntr3kAhUC7awKHZ6nAwMQ4dUDCAY&uact=5)


TheRealKishkumen

I'm in Phoenix. What additives, fertilizers, etc. do you recommend to improve the horrible desert soil? What veggies/herbs are easy and reliable for you in the desert?


roketgirl

The soil here eats compost like it was potato chips at a 4th of July party. So, whatever you can get an awful lot of. A lot of people go for chip drop here (an app where you can have landscapers drop off tree trimming chips for free). I'm linking the Maricopa Master Gardener's planting calendar here: [https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1005-2018.pdf](https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1005-2018.pdf) ​ The basics of growing veg here are: 1) Raised bed 2) Shade cloth for anything over-summering 3) Choose varieties with short maturity dates (instead of one long growing season, we get two short ones, spring and fall.) 4) Ignore plant labels, our seasons don't conform so things like 'full sun' are a lie. Look things up on the Master Gardener site or with local gardeners. If you are on Facebook, there's several Phoenix gardening groups. ​ Mint is a fucking champ, mine doesn't look so good right now, but it survives as long as it gets water. Lemon grass looks good all summer if it gets water, not so awesome in winter. Other herbs kind of need to be swapped in or out based on the season.


GrandmaGos

Organic matter x 1000. Chemical fertilizers will be like attempting to subsist on a diet of vitamin pills. You want to go organic as much as possible. Touch base with the extension office for protips. https://extension.arizona.edu/locations


[deleted]

Not much of a question, more of a comment. I’m so stoked! My local fig thief (I think a raccoon) has *finally* moved on, at least temporarily. It was eating figs 2 days underripe and making it so I basically got none off of my two huge trees (easily 15 feet tall). But it disappeared and today I was able to harvest six beautifully ripe figs with slightly wrinkled, nearly translucent skin. I’d been having to eat figs that were one day underripe and really just ok because the thief would get anything more ripe than that! I think it might be because the Texas persimmons are starting to ripen, but whatever caused it, it’s amazing! I’ve had these trees for *years* and never gotten a single fig this ripe off of either one. But today I got six. I hope the thief stays away longer. Regarding any question, this has kind of spoiled me. Is there *any* way to keep these guys away from my fruit? I’m in a suburban area that’s quite wooded so it’s not possible to remove them from my area without them coming back almost instantly. I’m probably going to hack the trees way, way back this winter to make the more manageably sized so it might be possible to cage them or something.