Gardening 2019 Official Thread

[Sundancefisher]

Starting up a 2019 gardening thread.

Last year I planted butternut squash, 3 kinds of peas, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, potatoes, peppers, radishes, parsley, celery, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, tomatoes.

Thunderstorms decimated the squash, zucchini, tomatoes, corn and peppers. Slugs wrecked the Brussel sprouts and cabbage. Maggots took out my radishes. Skunks dug up some potatoes (planted perch under for fertilizer).

So this year I am in preplanning mode. Should do potatoes again for sure. Peas also. May reorganize where I plant.

What are people planning to plant this year? What do you get the best from in Calgary's growing climate?

Let's get some photos as gardens progress.

Cheers

Sun

[HunterDave]

Last year we planted seeds that we bought online from Vessey's and our yields quadrupled. It's well worth paying the little extra to buy good seeds as opposed to the cheap ones in hardware stores. I'll be starting our garden plants any day now.

[Erik]

Awesome thread! I've been starting some flowers in trays. Hoping to do most of my annuals this year by seed. Also hoping to build a small greenhouse this year for the veggies. Lots of ambition, little to no time, so we'll see where I land, but I'm hoping this thread stays active and will be checking in.

[Erik]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Last year we planted seeds that we bought online from Vessey's and our yields quadrupled. It's well worth paying the little extra to buy good seeds as opposed to the cheap ones in hardware stores. I'll be starting our garden plants any day now.

Agree! I bought my seeds this year from Stokes seeds. First time using them, so will let you know how it goes.

[dodgeboy1979]

Started my tomatoes, peppers and some bedding flowers the other day in the garage. Can't wait until its time to plant the garden.

[omega50]

In 1992 in Turner Valley as the growing season was so short, I grew my potatoes inside of old scrap tires stacked 4 high with sandy soil packed inside. Two stacks of 4.
Great yields in a small space-greens come up the center.
just roll the tires around the yard to harvest

[LeroyvdH]

Peppers, maters and herbs are up. Leek, cukes and eggplant are giving it too. Going to try ground cherries. The ones you buy at Costco they call them some thing golden berries.

[eagleflyfisher]

Corn which I start early and plant when about 8-10" tall, seem to do well, 2-3 ears per.
Potatoes I grow in a boxes which don't turn out too well, need to reduce ph level? They turn out scabby etc.
Carrots, peas onions, garlic all seem fine.
Few kinds on lettuce.
Bunch of different herbs and 1 big bin of basil.
Zucchini and yellow beans too.

[David Henry]

This year my better half is going to take a run at Jerusalem Artichokes, so it looks like I have to break a little new ground for these guys. Anybody plant these before. David.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by eagleflyfisher

Corn which I start early and plant when about 8-10" tall, seem to do well, 2-3 ears per.
Potatoes I grow in a boxes which don't turn out too well, need to reduce ph level? They turn out scabby etc.
Carrots, peas onions, garlic all seem fine.
Few kinds on lettuce.
Bunch of different herbs and 1 big bin of basil.
Zucchini and yellow beans too.

Are you in Calgary. I have some extra sulphur.

Do you start garlic from seed?

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Last year we planted seeds that we bought online from Vessey's and our yields quadrupled. It's well worth paying the little extra to buy good seeds as opposed to the cheap ones in hardware stores. I'll be starting our garden plants any day now.

What is your favourite shucking pea from Vessey?

[SamSteele]

I have quite a few varieties of peppers up, tomatoes, marigolds, petunias, snapdragons. All our herbs from last spring are still growing well inside. Fresh basil, thyme, sage, and oregano all winter was great. The basil is probably 3 feet tall!

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

What is your favourite shucking pea from Vessey?

Last season was the first time going with Vessey's so we've only tried the one shucking pea variety....."Sabre".

We also planted "Sugar Lace" for snap peas that produced nice peas that could be shucked. The best of both worlds I guess.

We were happy with the yield and taste of both varieties.

[SamSteele]

Originally Posted by Erik

Agree! I bought my seeds this year from Stokes seeds. First time using them, so will let you know how it goes.

I used Stokes for years and they were great. I ordered from Lindenberg the last couple years and they also did well.

[SamSteele]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

What is your favourite shucking pea from Vessey?

We have always grown Green Arrow. They produce well and are nice and sweet.

[Etownpaul]

I grow all the usual culprits, maters,peppers, zucchini, squash,cabbage,peas,beans, rhubarb,garlic,carrots,beets,chard, fennel,dill,tons of cucumbers and potatoes.

I’m trying something new this year called the 3 sisters. You plant a corn stalk along with a pole bean and a ground squash in close proximity. The bean climbs the corn and provides nitrogen, the squash provides ground cover which reduces evaporation and weeds. It also makes good use of limited space since I plant too many plants every year and crowd the garden.

[RandyBoBandy]

This is going to be a great thread!!

[HunterDave]

For you guys looking for something different to plant, have a look at Kohlrabi. We love it fresh and sliced right out of the garden, in a salad or cooked. Not hard to grow and it doesn’t take a lot or room. Pick one up at the grocery store and see if it’s your thing.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

For you guys looking for something different to plant, have a look at Kohlrabi. We love it fresh and sliced right out of the garden, in a salad or cooked. Not hard to grow and it doesn’t take a lot or room. Pick one up at the grocery store and see if it’s your thing.

Been growing kohlrabi for more years than I can guess. There is a peeling knife and salt shaker in the wash stand in the garden all summer long. Rarely do they make it to the house...

[SamSteele]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

For you guys looking for something different to plant, have a look at Kohlrabi. We love it fresh and sliced right out of the garden, in a salad or cooked. Not hard to grow and it doesn’t take a lot or room. Pick one up at the grocery store and see if it’s your thing.

Grew it as a kid. Going to give it a try this year. I like throwing different stuff in every year. Last year was muskmelon and watermelons. Muskmelon did well. Watermelon not so much.

[trophybook]

San marzano
Beefsteak
Roma
Rainbow blend for tomatoes

Corno di Toro sweets
Red and yellow habanero for peppers

6 kinds of basil
Rosemary
2 kinds of thyme
Chives
Echinacea
Datura
Artichoke (romanesco)
Peaches n cream

More to come when I have thyme lol

[threeforthree]

1200 pepper plants on the go.

[CaberTosser]

Last year I built two planter boxes that I attached to the fence with strong brackets. each is about 9' long, 12" front to back and 6" or 8" deep. I installed mesh on the fence behind them and planted a variety of peas in them. I'll be doing it again this year (two more) and I will stagger planting to extend production. Lots of peas and beans for us this year, noting quite like freshly picked and cooked yellow and green beans smothered with butter.....

One of them I sized for these elongated window boxes that I have, the other I simply lined with landscape cloth and filled with soil.

[eagleflyfisher]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Are you in Calgary. I have some extra sulphur.

Do you start garlic from seed?

Close to Calgary, over in dewinton. Is sulfur what is used to reduce ph ? I've got to find that out soon.
Garlic I plant in fall, break apart cloves and plant root down. Have some elephant garlic my mom gave me years back

[marlin1]

carrots , potatoes , parsley, tomatoes , rosemary , Jalapenos, sage and whatever else I can think of or find spice wise . Suggestions for Calgary ? may try garlic if I ever get to it before it snows in the fall

[SamSteele]

Originally Posted by marlin1

carrots , potatoes , parsley, tomatoes , rosemary , Jalapenos, sage and whatever else I can think of or find spice wise . Suggestions for Calgary ? may try garlic if I ever get to it before it snows in the fall

I have successfully planted garlic in the spring. Your bulbs may not get as big, but it’s something.

[owlhoot]

I plant garlic in the fall and harvest around July. It's coming up now.
I like to grow Parsnips and leave them in all winter, I'm digging them up now and they are SWEET.
Kohlrabi like mentioned are excellent raw but larger or older ones are great steamed in a cream sauce

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by owlhoot

I plant garlic in the fall and harvest around July. It's coming up now.
I like to grow Parsnips and leave them in all winter, I'm digging them up now and they are SWEET.
Kohlrabi like mentioned are excellent raw but larger or older ones are great steamed in a cream sauce

Hard to beat spring Parsnips steamed and covered in butter/brown sugar. Always like leaving some green onions in over winter as well for new ones early on

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by eagleflyfisher

Close to Calgary, over in dewinton. Is sulfur what is used to reduce ph ? I've got to find that out soon.
Garlic I plant in fall, break apart cloves and plant root down. Have some elephant garlic my mom gave me years back

I am in south Calgary. PM me if you want some Sulphur. Yes...if will reduce ph.

[Sundancefisher]

I should mention I have a ton of strawberry plants I am going to thin our in the next month or so. In south Calgary if anyone wants some PM me. Need your own containers or bag to take away. Used all my grocery bags on perch. :-)