Spring/Summer Gardening and Plants Thread

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Spring/Summer Gardening and Plants Thread

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Mamacita
Stuck in the middle with you
Joined: Dec '06
Posts: 9,491

In fall i started this topic
http://brooklynian.com/forum/the-lounge-random-stuff/id-these-plantswhere-to-buy

Now it's SPRING! I want to plant some veggies in pots on the roof (I don't have a garden) and also add some flowering plants to the front of the building I live in. I have a few planters and a small green spot I can work with.

So what are you doing? Questions on your garden, what to plant, ideas for me or others?

Plus...PLANT SHARE! Have too much of one plant and want to share seed pods, bulbs.. etc.. with your Brooklynian neighbors?

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(=’.'=)
(”)_(”)

# Posted 2 yrs ago
ljnd
above average
Joined: Feb '07
Posts: 455

Last year I planted a bed of tomatoes (7 beefsteak and 7 cherry), two Japanese eggplants and two cucumber vines (both of which produced unconscionable amounts), a zucchini (2 squash total), and 4 pepper plants (3 peppers each - meh). I also planted flowers - impatiens, a few others I wasn't so crazy about.

This year, plans for the tomatoes remain the same (though I will be better about pruning suckers). I'll cut back to one eggplant and one cucumber, and then try to grow peas in the pod. I'm looking for a couple other veggies (nothing cruciferous! bleargh) to take the place of peppers. And in my flower bed...I'm going all roses.

In pots I'm going to do herbs, lettuce, and I'll give strawberries a whirl as well. Marigolds for the windowboxes.

I get most of my seedlings from Shannon Florist out on Ft Hamilton Pkway.

Right now I have my bulbs coming up - they seem to be doing well. After they're done, it's compost-spreading time, and then in go the seedlings.

I'm interested in the effectiveness of citronella grass as a natural anti-mosquito agent - anybody have any experience there?

# Posted 2 yrs ago
MrGarden
what am I, new?
Joined: Mar '11
Posts: 6

I have a good amount of Autumn Joy (Sedum telephium) and it's the easiest thing to propagate. I'd be happy to give some away (or trade for some worms).

# Posted 2 yrs ago
joehill
getting it
Joined: Oct '08
Posts: 129

I was going to ask the same thing as ljnd - anyone know of any plants that will repel mosquitos? (or whether certain plants attract them and should be shyed away from?)

Also - what do you guys do to keep from squirrels eating your tomatoes?

# Posted 2 yrs ago
ljnd
above average
Joined: Feb '07
Posts: 455

Resign myself to losing some, is all...although in my case it's not squirrels so much as it is birds (the cherry tomatoes).

# Posted 2 yrs ago
MrGarden
what am I, new?
Joined: Mar '11
Posts: 6

Marigolds, rosemary, catnip and citronella grass are some plants that repel mosquitoes. But no plant is going to keep you from getting eaten alive here. I suggest talking to your neighbors to see about pooling your money together to by a mosquito magnet like a Defender. The ones that work cost a few hundred dollars but work for up to 1 acre. One of my neighbors bought one for his yard last summer and it really does work. He's my hero.

And to keep squirrels from digging up my garden I run after them and curse them. There's really nothing you can do about them. They suck.

# Posted 2 yrs ago
ljnd
above average
Joined: Feb '07
Posts: 455

ZOMG, I will totally look at the mosquito magnet thing - my next door neighbor and I like to work in our backyards but hate the mosquitos.

# Posted 2 yrs ago
MrGarden
what am I, new?
Joined: Mar '11
Posts: 6

Yeah, mosquitoes are enemy number 1 for gardens here. They're a relatively new breed (I believe these are from Asia) and are much more aggressive than the mosquitoes when I was a kid. And you used to only really need to worry about them at night. But these are out all the time and are very aggressive. I simply cannot express in words how much I hate those damn mosquitoes.

By the way, if any of you have water features or are thinking of installing one there are certain types of fish - such as regular gold fish - that will eat mosquito larvae.

# Posted 2 yrs ago
Mamacita
Stuck in the middle with you
Joined: Dec '06
Posts: 9,491

Mr Garden, I would love some Autumn Joy! Can you spare some?
Sadly, I'm just starting my pots, so all I have to share is some oregano.

IF any of the community garden people are weeding out their purslane (verdolagas) I'd be happy to take some of that weed off your hands. I think it's tasty in stews.

BTW, it's a long time off from now, but lets not forget the daffodil project in Oct.
http://www.ny4p.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=624&Itemid=287

(\__/)
(=’.'=)
(”)_(”)

# Posted 2 yrs ago
pmonk
Slope n00b
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 114

roof = desert

# Posted 2 yrs ago
MrGarden
what am I, new?
Joined: Mar '11
Posts: 6

Yes, I still have some Autumn Joy left over, though not a whole bunch. Oregano sounds good to me.

# Posted 2 yrs ago

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