What did you do in the garden today?

[Elyrian1]

@Sueby Does not look quite like stinging nettle. The leaves are more pointed and the stems are square because they are in the mint family.

Edit to add: if you value your sanity, keep the affected area out of the sun.

 

[igorsMistress]

Good afternoon gardeners. Anyone who doesn’t want their rain can send it to me. From what I’ve read our monsoon season is supposed to be wetter than normal, maybe even a shot at rain later this month. It’s an overall prediction for AZ so it might not mean much for us here in the valley, but I’m hopeful The shade seems to be helping the Carolina jessamine and I may need to give the olive tree a shade too, poor thing. The Vitex are blooming again and the fruit trees seem to be holding their own. I’m going to have to dig a couple of holes and bury the grow bags my EWO are in, they dry out super fast now and I’m having to water every day. I’ll be cutting down a few things in the shade garden and working on weeds in there also. It’s becoming light early enough now that I can start working in the garden before work which will be a big help.

 

[WthrLady]

The greenhouse is now closed. Anything living is out of it. (I do use it in the summer to dry herbs and to heat treat pots and flats (gotta watch that as it can melt in there).

I have 40 more tomatoes. LARGE ones to either plant around the property, or give away. I cannot compost them, they're just too nice.

The shade cloth makes the hoophouse much nicer (still hot) to be in. At least I don't feel like an ant under a magnifying glass anymore.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Interesting side note I had a prolific mint growing next to our little brick building.. We have lived here like 8 years.
This year the mint did not come back.

 

[Iluveggers]

@Iluveggers, do you get figs from it? What kind is it? Thanks for the info.

He just responded. Doesn’t remember 100%, but either thinks it’s Brown Turkey or Chicago Hardy.

I’m the veggie lady. The fig tree was DHs project. Frankly, I’m impressed he’s kept it alive!

 

[riss]

I bought a sunflower plant it's super cute! Going to put it next to my sunflower fountain

 

[SheaLoner]

Check list so far.
Potatoes, all, in
Onions, sets, in
Beans, all, in
Peas, in
Tomatoes, all, in
Carrots, in
Corn, in
Cabbage, plants, in
Broccoli, plants, in
Zucchini, not
Summer squash, not
Winter squash, not
Peppers, all, not
Onions, plants, not

Almost there!!

 

[Acre4Me]

I am wondering if a Chicago fig (or whatever they're called...?) could grow here. I read in my zone (5b), it dies back in the winter, but regrows each spring. Does that mean it grows fruit each year? Anyone know?

We planted a Chicago Hardy on the south side of our house, so full sun nearly all day. it also had a large bush to the west of it, so a little protection from the winter winds. Well, it tried to produce figs first year, but they didn't ripen. The next year, it resprouted from the roots and produced figs. But not very large, but some did fully ripen. At that point it was in the ground for 18 months (spring through to the next fall). We learned that the roots are very extensive and not good near a foundation. I ripped it out and it certainly had very extensive roots already - but no damage to the foundation.

My neighbors planted 2 of them in what appeared to be a great spot in their yard. They grew last year (when planted) but so far no growth this year on either. I haven't checked for at least a week though. The winter wasn't too bad, but I suppose the roots could have died.

 

[Acre4Me]

no garden work today, but did discuss the large unplanted bed. We plan to plant melon, squash, okra, and pumpkins in that bed.

The poorly looking tomatoes have perked up a bit. I put some bone meal and tomato fertilizer at their base yesterday, and this morning came out to find several spots had been nosed by some animal last night - right where the fertilizer had been applied to a few plants. I assume the bone meal was the attractant. Wonder what animal was doing that? No plant damage and it only nosed into about 6 spots, although there were many more spots I applied it in the area.

 

[igorsMistress]