Backyard Gardening in Kingston
Tis the season, growing season that is. Some of my greatest spring and summer memories as a kid involve harvesting treats from my grandparents’ vegetable garden. My grandfather had quite the green thumb, and as mother nature would allow, homegrown produce continuously made its way onto the dinner table. From tomatoes for BLTs, carrots for soups, cucumbers for pickling, and rhubarb for pies, we enjoyed it all. Okay, maybe not everything, but then again, show me a kid who honestly likes wax beans. There was also a good supply of herbs, including aloe, which helped quench a few bee stings now and again. Getting down and dirty, this week’s poll asks:
What types of things are you planning on growing this year?
- All of the above. (53%, 76 Votes)
- Culinary Herbs (20%, 29 Votes)
- Flowers (16%, 23 Votes)
- Vegetables and Legumes (8%, 12 Votes)
- None of the above. (3%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 144
Loading ...When we moved into our home a few years back, we inherited quite a mature flower garden. Thanks to its untamed look, it’s virtually maintenance free. As the tulips fall in one area, the tiger-lilies start to poke through, which are trumped by the clematis, and so on. In the edible garden, we struggle with squirrels and birds who pick at tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, yet for some reason they leave the jalapenos alone. This year we’ve started from seed indoors, and while that seems like an easy chore, it’s definitely been a challenge. When to re-pot, water, and when to give up on plants that have expired are all a matter of trial and error, but we’re making progress and gaining experience. What are you planning on growing this season? What gardening tricks or tools do you swear by?
Thanks to horrigans for today’s photo.
A great option for those who don't have a lot of space or live in a place with a balcony are potted herbs and other veg.
I'm going to try peanuts this year! Anyone know if it'll work?
In addition to that I'm working on tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and basil. I'd love to try berries but someone said they don't grow well in Kingston soil…anyone know?
I don't know about growing peanuts outside, but my grandfather used to grow peanuts in pots and it worked fine. I want to try that, too. Herbs do amazingly well in pots, I find, I have a half-dozen herbs in pots that I've kept over winter for a few years and have fresh herbs all year round, it's great. I have recently been interested in trying to grow various types of trees – even if they don't bear fruit. I have started clementine oranges and a lemon and lime tree from seed. i have more on the to-do list. :D
I love gardening. I have 300 square feet of garden in my backyard and I plant it to the max. Everything from salad veggies to tomatoes and potatoes and peppers of different varieties, cucumbers and beans. It's so nice to see that stuff grow. My summer would be very boring if it weren't for the garden.