Your 2026 Garden

[tripletfeb]

I'm in 5b so I still have 12 or more weeks till last frost but got my first round of seeds in their cells! Lavender and mountain mint and peppermint went through 4 weeks of cold stratification in the fridge and are now days away from sprouting!

And then cayenne and jalapeños are planted, I will let them all mature to red including the jalapeños and I dry them and make my own red pepper chili flakes and cayenne powder with them!

One bag of red potatoes is started, and I'll start another bag every 4 weeks so I have potatoes all year season.

And then all my Perrenial flowers are now started since they take forever. This year doing bee balm, blanket flower, malva zebrina, poppies, forget me nots etc.

Gotta get all my woody herbs down this wekeend like rosemary thyme oregono etc.

Next round of seeds wont be planted till march 20th mostly veg and fruit and then if I get my way, all my direct outdoor sows will go into the ground April 17th
View attachment 4294220

Every year I grow alma paprika peppers in addition to bells and jalapenos. I then dry them and grind them to put together for a three pepper powder. It's so good added to soups and stews

 

[Echelontheory101]

Every year I grow alma paprika peppers in addition to bells and jalapenos. I then dry them and grind them to put together for a three pepper powder. It's so good added to soups and stews

Yes I love doing it! I also dehydrate my herbs and onions and garlic and whatnot to make all sorts of seasonings

 

[Sally PB]

I also dehydrate my herbs and onions and garlic

I'm afraid to try dehydrating onions and garlic. Does it smell really strong?

When I dry bananas, whooooeeee! Banana smell!!!! all through the house.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

I need pea advice. I have tried 3 times, each time they dont have a great germination rate, but about half grew. They slowed down and stalled after about 4 inches, but kept trucking along slowly, I even got 5 pods once.. but then the packrats come and chomp them off at the base!!! I got a few with mouse traps so i know thats what they are, but they stopped falling for the traps. I got special traps and everything, what did I catch?
A mole.
They absolutely love my garden and destroy everything, I managed to get most things to survive enough to get a crop, but the pease just can't survive.

Mine are usually a full story off the ground and inside the area my cat is allowed outside in so I don’t know how much I can help, but I had an issue with rabbits nibbling down my tarragon which was solved by putting a chicken wire cloche over it until it got too big to interest them. Or could you grow them somewhere that is out of reach?

 

[MuthaCluckas]

Has anyone else ever grown tomatoes completely indoors?

Have you ordered or bought your seeds yet for this summer?

Funny story actually... my husband bought me a big 'bucket' of flowers, but I... kinda forgot about them sitting in the dining room By the time I remembered to water them they were pretty much done, but there were sprouts!!! So I made sure to be very diligent in their care since, well, I neglected them Long story short - it's a tomato plant
This'll be my first year gardening 100% on my own, so literally any advice is appreciated - I've got seeds to grow flowers & herbs specifically for my flock, but as far as our own consumables - I only have plans so far (mainly looking at Baker Creek Seeds) but I get lost trying to determine what will grow best here.

 

[Rillowen]

Mine are usually a full story off the ground and inside the area my cat is allowed outside in so I don’t know how much I can help, but I had an issue with rabbits nibbling down my tarragon which was solved by putting a chicken wire cloche over it until it got too big to interest them. Or could you grow them somewhere that is out of reach?

That would be pretty difficult unless I grew it in the basement, we have no second floor. in a pot climbing the porch maybe?

 

[Finchbreeder]

In Aussie summer it's a case of see what survives the heat.

 

[Echelontheory101]

I'm afraid to try dehydrating onions and garlic. Does it smell really strong?

When I dry bananas, whooooeeee! Banana smell!!!! all through the house.

I only do it in seasons where I can have all the windows open haha it does stink a bit just like the bananas but I wouldn't say it stinks any worse than if you had a pot of French onion soup bubbling away all day or fried up or roasted some garlic for dinner. You'll smell onion and garlic for a day or 2 but I love the smell of cooking onion so it doesn't bother me much haha

I actually have a harder time dehydrating the peppers, its harsh on the nose and throat that day but i do looooww and very slow for peppers which mitigates most of that issue

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

I need pea advice. I have tried 3 times, each time they dont have a great germination rate, but about half grew. They slowed down and stalled after about 4 inches, but kept trucking along slowly, I even got 5 pods once.. but then the packrats come and chomp them off at the base!!! I got a few with mouse traps so i know thats what they are, but they stopped falling for the traps. I got special traps and everything, what did I catch?
A mole.
They absolutely love my garden and destroy everything, I managed to get most things to survive enough to get a crop, but the pease just can't survive.

Get a big, black lick bucket, at least that's what we call them..put a trellis in it and put it on your deck away from your garden. Maybe the rats won't come by them then?

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

I'm afraid to try dehydrating onions and garlic. Does it smell really strong?

When I dry bananas, whooooeeee! Banana smell!!!! all through the house.

I dehydrate anything strong smelling in my garage.