#51 10-10-14 02:14:32

viva

pretty pretty princess

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Re: Garden Porn

WOW look at those snap peas Aven!! You've totally inspired me. I am going to start a spring garden this weekend!!

Monotreme

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That's beautiful. I'm hurriedly putting away tomatoes, and halfway around the world (in both directions) you're growing spring peas. It's magical.

Traci, I love that wall-mounted box. It'll be phenomenal soon!

aven frey

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I have to stop myself eating them! I think they get bigger, I know so very little about growing food.

I think that is not a wall mounted box, I think that is a side ways mounted photo! Unless you are being funny Monotreme, then that is an excellent side wall joke.

viva

pretty pretty princess

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Re: Garden Porn

guys I got totally inspired by this thread!! I did one!!

here's what it looked like before:

and here is after:

I have yellow peppers and tomatoes and zuchini and basil and lettuce and leeks and who knows if any of it will grow! but it's very exciting!

aven frey

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that looks excellent. Good spacing. That's one think I fucked up, all my broccoli is close together.

Monotreme

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That's gorgeous, Viva. Both attractive and functional. We had strange weather here (hot early, cool later) and my garden just didn't produce much. Still, I was able to put by some strawberry jam and tomato sauce and dry some peppers, so it wasn't a total loss.

viva

pretty pretty princess

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Yummmm jam and sauce... I've never done this before so I have no idea what to expect. I love browsing the prolific gardens of friends and I adore the overwhelming bounty of 'too much' when those gardens start to really get going... too many zucchinis, always, too many little tomatoes... I love the challenge of using the harvest in creative ways. The day I planted we got sun, and the day after, but then it rained and was cold for two days. I am just continuing to try and do this "instinctual gardening" plan I have in mind which means I try not to interfere or worry too much. However after the cold snap I did play them some Beyonce to make them feel like they could overcome!

aven frey

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I can recommend playing the new Aphex Twin album to your garden Viva, my snaps seem to have responded pretty well to him.

Jordan_Q

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Wow, what beautiful raised beds! I really want to build some, but I am too intimidated to do it this year...did you make them yourself, or were they in place already when you started living in your home??

viva

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This rectangle space thing was definitely there, our garden is super landscaped! I wouldn't have been able to make this happen if I had to build anything  first... I also felt super intimidated by the sheer amount of information on the web, which is why I decided to just buy baby plants and put them in dirt and wait! I'm glad the dirt was there, just needed some turning and compost. Does it count as a raised bed if it has no bottom?

viva

pretty pretty princess

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Hey guys ... GARDEN UPDATE!!

Okay first, this happened between the first picture and now:

Everything was looking sooo cute and sweet and growing in its nice place... Wouldn't it be great if everything stayed perfect like that? Well, it didn't. It got OUT OF CONTROL!

Today, this is the situation:

Alright. There are eggshells down cause snails eat everything. I've ravished the lettuces a few times. The tomato is out of control, but not producing any tomatos (yet?) The yellow squash is like Godzilla, while Mr. Rhubarb over there is Mothra. Both are threatening my fair city. There's a shiny dark purple bell pepper the size of my heart, there are outrageously shaped squashes in that plant, there are snowpeas a-plenty. The whole thing is, as I say, out of control. I'm out of my depth at this point.

aven frey

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my situation also got OUT OF CONTROL. That's all I want to say about it.

Monotreme

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In my garden, squash have been confined to an area away from the main population. They are aggressive.

Monotreme

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Re: Garden Porn

I'm envious of your garden profusion. We're about to the shortest day of the year up here. Keep posting more.

viva

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Wow that picture makes me so nostalgic. I miss your hemisphere and it's gorgeous rusty autumn winter colors. damn.

Monotreme

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My hemisphere has its charms, but you are probably the main draw for the Southern Hemisphere.

aven frey

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I've got blueberries, unlike the strawberries they're actually edible and delicious!

viva

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YOU GO GIRL! also monotreme... thanks

Faye

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Its finally winter here, its been a slow build up. I looked out the window and it finally registered that all the leaves were gone. There is that certain smell in the air of decaying leaves, everything is damp and slow. I want to curl into a den with a bear and sleep through it and dream of another world that could be.
I like sharing this here because it could be summer where you are. That thought never ceases to amaze me. 
I recently moved away from my off the grid community in Southern Oregon for the city of Portland Oregon in order to pursue a job I can do from home eventually. I miss that garden though, we ate fresh greens all winter, including cilantro, purslane, arugala, and chervil. Living in a city is not the same. Yesterday I raked leaves and put them in a city composting bin, if it were up to me I would have left them on the side walk to turn to soil and transform the concrete into something nourishing.

Elsa_H

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Faye, oh my gosh you have a way with words. I actually really love winter (and autumn and spring and the not so hot bits of summer) and this made me very nostalgic for it. That's a really big change of scenery for you - I dream of one day living in an off the grid community. Was it difficult to leave?

Guys, I have to tell you, my summer garden sucks and I don't know how to fix it! I planted lots of lovely little tomato seedlings and eggplants and so many other things and then snails ate ALL OF THEM. So then my boyfriend surprised me with a lovely box of established seedlings and they just haven't taken off like they did last year. It's really sad and causing me a lot of turmoil and upset

Last edited by Elsa_H (26-12-14 06:42:48)

Monotreme

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Re: Garden Porn

I always liked setting out dishes of beer to remove slugs/snails. They get drunk and drown in it, which seems appropriate somehow.

Laney

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YOU GO GIRL! also monotreme... thanks

Monotreme I have to add that right after Viva posted this she turned to me and said "I'd totally do him" .

That sucks Elsa! Could you salvage any of them or will you have to start over? The beer in the bowl trick sounds good, I hope they enjoy some level of drunkenness before they die.

I've always quite liked snails and slugs. It's too hot for them in Darwin so finding them down south or overseas was a novelty. Every now and then one will sneak into my house at night and leave a slimy trail behind it, reminding me of the cool, moist place I live in now. They can be cute too, especially on Kara_D's boob!

Also, welcome to the boards Faye! Thank you for sharing your perspective on winter in Oregon and moving from country to the city. Herbs and greens fresh from the garden are just so much better than what you can buy from the supermarket. do you have space for a veggie patch/box where you live now?

viva

pretty pretty princess

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Faye, welcome to the forums. Your words are like a cool refreshing breeze from your winter world, I loved reading them. Your picture is beautiful. I have just returned to the city as well from a beautiful place in Tasmania and I feel the transition strongly. It is as you describe...

Elsa I got home and my garden didn't do too well in the Melbourne heat without a lot of care. My lettuce went to seed in a most amazing way. I only returned last night around midnight and now I am in the office so I haven't gotten a chance to properly inspect, but yeah, gardening is certainly a learning experience. I ate a pepper from my garden and it didn't taste very good. I am learning!

I put down eggshells in my soil for the snails because I heard it's like walking on glass for them. Since then my basil has taken off, so maybe try that!

Monotreme

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Re: Garden Porn

YOU GO GIRL! also monotreme... thanks

Monotreme I have to add that right after Viva posted this she turned to me and said "I'd totally do him" .

Viva, the feeling is mutual.

Laney

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Oooooo Viva and Monotreme!