What did you do in the garden today?

[BReeder!]

Hey Gardeners, can any of you recommend a reasonably-priced, healthy source for fruit trees? It's getting close to the right time to plant them here...we want a couple plum trees, a couple hardy apricots and maybe some apples (so we can cut down the annoying old one next to the house) and possibly some nut trees.
I got our Weeping Willow last year from Nature Hills Nursery, and can't say enough good things about them - the tree was healthy, packaged perfectly, arrived timely, took to being planted right away and is still growing great. But, $$$$$! It was a gift for Mr. Dog, so paying just this once was OK, but I hope to find a less expensive source for the fruit trees we hope to plant.

I ordered native plum trees from Gurneys. You get two for qty 1. They have coupons where you get $25 off of a $50 order. I think the plum trees were $19.99 for a pair. So you could get those and probably an apricot or apple for $25 plus shipping (like $10 or so).

 

[sylviethecochin]

Hello. Haven't posted here in a bit.

I'm trying new things. Anyone got any recommendations for medium-large, preferably red, blight resistant tomatoes? Quick maturity, since we got a whole 4.5 months of growing season last year. I'm already looking at Legends and Early Pick VFs.

 

[BReeder!]

This totally blows my mind. The first time I read of that, I thought it was a joke.

It's likely because the water table in those areas is extremely low. Areas like parts of Colorado and California are at risk of or already suffering extreme drought. Collecting rainwater and preventing it from replenishing the water table can speed up the problem. That said, you would think that collecting rainwater in closed vessels prevents evaporation loss and it would add to the water table once it's used. The problem there is much of it could go down drains from home use or get contaminated with pesticides and other chemical agents from the way it's used before entering the water table. With a low water table, contaminants would have a larger impact. The theory then is let nature take its course and stay out of its way.

 

[WthrLady]

Hello. Haven't posted here in a bit.

I'm trying new things. Anyone got any recommendations for medium-large, preferably red, blight resistant tomatoes? Quick maturity, since we got a whole 4.5 months of growing season last year. I'm already looking at Legends and Early Pick VFs.

Early girl and better boy

 

[jerryse]

Oven quit working last night . So I put a new igniter in today . Always something to fix .

 

[sylviethecochin]

Early girl and better boy

Any specific reasons you like those two? I'm hard limiting myself to one variety, because I already know I'm planting Supersteak Hybrids, Black Krims, Cherokee Purples, and two different sauce varieties. And cherry. So I'm trying to do as much research as possible.

 

[BReeder!]

I've updated the garden design. Notice the entire bed at the top left is yellow - that's 8'x4' of Jerusalem Artichoke. I doubt the entire bed will get planted this year, but it seems easy to get them to spread and reproduce year after year. Because of their invasive nature, I've just dedicated the entire bed to them. I've also added a border of pollinator flowers along the bottom. This will be a 2ft wide flower bed edging the front of the garden fence. I've included Anise Hyssop, Rose Milkweed, Decurrent False Aster, Columbine, and Allium Stellatum. I might sneak in some Allium Globemaster or Allium Giganteum too since DW really likes them. The tallest plants are at the far left and right. 4' tall plants in front of the raised beds, which are 2ft tall themselves so the plant there should still get sun (south is the bottom of the picture). The smaller 2ft and below plants are in front of the garden rows planted into the ground so that those vegetable plants are shaded. I already have a HUGE maple tree south of the garden that casts a shadow in the afternoon, so I don't need more shade. I need pollinators though.

 

[Sally PB]

since we got a whole 4.5 months of growing season

Wow... I'm jealous! I get 100ish days, max, for tomatoes. Might be 120 days between last and first frost, but not reliable and chilly enough that 'maters won't do much.

I did find some very short season varieties that said 58-62 days. They're determinate varieties, and I'm going to plant them in "downhill" garden that can have much cooler nights than my "uphill" garden. Be interesting to see how they do; they're all new to me.

 

[Sally PB]

@BReeder! Thanks for the informative post about rainwater. I had never thought of it like that.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Wow... I'm jealous! I get 100ish days, max, for tomatoes. Might be 120 days between last and first frost, but not reliable and chilly enough that 'maters won't do much.

I did find some very short season varieties that said 58-62 days. They're determinate varieties, and I'm going to plant them in "downhill" garden that can have much cooler nights than my "uphill" garden. Be interesting to see how they do; they're all new to me.

Wow. We get anywhere from 160-180 here!