How does your garden grow?

[fromelsewhere]

The harvest from my garden:

It will make a nice salad:

 

[Simple_Person]

Pictures taken from 1 side...

Picture from the other side..

Tomato plants and cucumbers need to climb, so i extended the washing line with some rod from a clothing rack in a closet and a part of a wooden part of a closet that i drilled holes in it. With a sort of a fishin line i attached them to the buckets so with some clips you can guide the plant upwards.

Because of limited space and problems that i may encounter in the future with roots not getting enough growth and water, i put two buckets one on the other and made the bucket beneath a water reservoir.

I have never grown anything in my life, except a beard. However alhamdulillah so far Allah has granted me the ability to search on internet fro the necessary knowledge and experience of other growers that i have achieved this so far.

So far what you see are

- 3 types of tomato plants (Money maker (one with the roots), super sweet 100, and a tomato mix (don't know which type yet). (all from seed)
- Peppermint (from cutting, because from seed although i succeeded it, it happened to be another variety than the one i wanted)
- Lemon balm (from seed)
- Lemon tree (from seed)
- Watermelon (sugar baby) (from seed)
- Sweet potato (from a hole potato)
- Normal potato (3 from whole potatoes and some just a small block cutting of the potato. The large wide bag are the ones with the whole potatoes.
- Bell peppers (from seed)
- Two types of strawberries (from seed)
- Two types of cucumbers (from seed)
- Celery (from seed)

So far about whole N-P-K and the information that i have gathered as i want to be as organic as possible. I have collected from acquaintances like 3 x 10 liter buckets of coffee grounds (N value = 2). The waste tea leaves i dry them up and grind them to be used later on (N = 4). Nitrogen good for leaf foliage. P (Phosphorus) i just read that lemon peel or whatever it is called contains a lot of phosphorus and off course not to forget K - Potassium banana peels (visible on one of the pictures lying to dry) contain a lot of it and also orange peels. Also with egg shells in a coffee grinder till they are powder for calcium. I also use cinnamon in tea then i dry the piece, which later on grind it to powder to use this in the future as sort of rooting hormone. Although it is NOT a rooting hormone, rather it prevents mold.

As far as i have read is that from now on, i need to give more P & K (Phosphorus and Potassium). To be more resilient against viruses and bugs and off course promoting more flowers, as nitrogen mostly is beneficial fro growing more leaves at the beginning of a plant. I have till now every time taken off the flower buds to prevent the energy of the plant to go to the fruit, instead to focus more on growth of leaves, stem and roots. The tomato plants i also buried a bit more deeper as it will shoot roots from it's stem so later on promoting to get more water and thus faster growing tomatoes. Also with tomato plants till now i have been cutting off the suckers however since a day or two i have stopped doing that as it has a limited height that i want it to go so from now on it should be oke with the amount of suckers and growth of amount of flowers. The first flowers that wanted to bloom on the bell peppers, i cut off the top and thus now the stem has became stronger and also A LOT of side shoots that have resulted in A LOT of flower buds. Those btw, i also have drilled wholes in the upper flower pot so they can reach the water reservoir in the second flower pot.

Btw, i have read that it is good to have certain types of flowers to attract bugs like honey bees to pollinate the fruit flowers. Do i have to worry about this? (i live on the 3rd floor)and also have like almost 9 hours of sun during summer time.

Anybody any advice that i could benefit from?

 

[sister herb]

Your garden looks great and you have some same plants like I have; I too have money maker tomatoes, they have usually gave me a lot of fruits. My tomato plants are still indoors, because of colder climate but maybe at the next week I can plant them to garden. Also my garden is organic cultivated.

I´ll check my archives if I find some gardening tips which might be useful to you.

 

[Simple_Person]

Your garden looks great and you have some same plants like I have; I too have money maker tomatoes, they have usually gave me a lot of fruits. My tomato plants are still indoors, because of colder climate but maybe at the next week I can plant them to garden. Also my garden is organic cultivated.

I´ll check my archives if I find some gardening tips which might be useful to you.

A question, the normal tomatoes that we buy at the store..not cherry tomatoes but also not the Belgium tomato type. What kind of taste do they have? I mean i have eaten them, but from the store. The taste compared to those cherry tomatoes it is as if those have no taste at all. When you grow your own tomatoes..(the money maker i guess)..do they have more taste than what is sold at the store?

Also so far i have seen the little cucumber (cucumber vert petit de paris) it had female and male flowers. I have tried to pollinate them using even a male flower (as i was afraid the pollination would not happen on time). However all though those were the first 3 female flowers, the cucumbers did not grow but instead turned yellow. Keep in mind that i have grown this type from seed back in 26th of February 2017. I didn't know back then that it takes about 60 days to give fruit so i have kept it in a small pot for some time. Also that those seeds need a warm soil to germinate. A website gave me wrong information telling me to sow them around en d of February.

The roots also with this one has grown to the water reservoir bucket and i also just recently gave a lot of water to it and decided that i am not gonna water from above anything soon. I am so far very green behind the ears when it comes to watering plants. Although some say wait until the leaves look tired (dry ground..).

 

[sister herb]

About tomatoes; oh yes! When you have eaten one growed by yourself, you never ever want to eat any tomato sold from the store. They taste much fruity and sweet.

We say here that you can sow cucumber seeds when the bird cherry is flowering (they flowers at the beginning of June and at that time soil is warm). I think those your cucumbers are quite similar with flowering and making fruits like shark fin melons (shark fin melon is actually a cucumber, not melon). They make male and female flowers and fruits. Male fruits grow only short time, turn to yellow and rotten away. Wait for some time, female fruits usually come after those male ones.

Watering depends about many things, like what kind of plant you have as some evaporate more moisture from leaves than others, how much sun they get, is there windy weather. It´s a good idea to let soil dry at the surface. Leave may look a little tired but don´t let roots become too dry. Also don´t overwhelm them.

 

[Simple_Person]

About tomatoes; oh yes! When you have eaten one growed by yourself, you never ever want to eat any tomato sold from the store. They taste much fruity and sweet.

We say here that you can sow cucumber seeds when the bird cherry is flowering (they flowers at the beginning of June and at that time soil is warm). I think those your cucumbers are quite similar with flowering and making fruits like shark fin melons (shark fin melon is actually a cucumber, not melon). They make male and female flowers and fruits. Male fruits grow only short time, turn to yellow and rotten away. Wait for some time, female fruits usually come after those male ones.

Watering depends about many things, like what kind of plant you have as some evaporate more moisture from leaves than others, how much sun they get, is there windy weather. It´s a good idea to let soil dry at the surface. Leave may look a little tired but don´t let roots become too dry. Also don´t overwhelm them.

Yes, later on i read on many other websites and even the package itself said somewhere in may/june to start sowing. So in the future it will be fine in'sha'Allah. I have also for every seed/plant kept a log of the events of the seed. How long it took to germinate, what kind of mistakes or things happened. When re-potted, etc. etc.

Yes, the female and male flowers are very clear as you see with the female flowers a small cucumber behind it. However is it normal that maybe the first female flowers just don't get pollinated and /turn yellow/die off?

 

[sister herb]

What comes to sowing the seeds, it of course depends in what climate zone you are living. Here in north June is suitable time but further south sowing time might be something else.

Yes it´s possible (about female flowers). You can try to help pollination with a little brush if there isn´t bees to do the job.

These are my shark fin melons from the last summer:

They become huge. There is 3 shark fin melons, 1 zucchini and one giant pumpkin but majority of those leaves belong to the shark fins.

 

[Simple_Person]

What comes to sowing the seeds, it of course depends in what climate zone you are living. Here in north June is suitable time but further south sowing time might be something else.

Yes it´s possible (about female flowers). You can try to help pollination with a little brush if there isn´t bees to do the job.

These are my shark fin melons from the last summer:

They become huge. There is 3 shark fin melons, 1 zucchini and one giant pumpkin but majority of those leaves belong to the shark fins.

Yes, a few days ago i bought a brush to pollinate them myself. However i have done it, but the female flower is still open. I pollinated it yesterday. How long do i have to wait until i see some change? (wittering of the flower, the cucumber growing..).

Just searched on youtube about shark fin melons and if it was worth it..huge..but just taste of cucumber. I guess you guys love the taste if you have grown it before.

About sowing well i took the advice of others by germinate them in my living room and give them a head start. With cucumber i have read that it doesn't take kindly to re-potting. So i also only re-pot once. With tomatoes, i re-pot 3 times.

Today the first time EVER i'm gonna make a salad using my own grown celery in'sha'Allah . Just a wonderful feeling going to the balcony and grabbing what you need..big smile on my face..alhamdulillah. Also how long does it take for tomatoes to grow from very small buds to full grown tomatoes? Or does this mostly depend on the weather?

If lets say the weather is fine and you see some flower buds (very little) how many days does it take?

 

[sister herb]

You have to be patient with your cucumbers as it may take few days before anything happens and the fruit starts to grow.

My tomato seedlings are still in pots indoors (weather is cold, specially at the nights, last night here was +4 C) but few of them have buds. I´ll plant them outdoors maybe at the next week and during few
weeks they will start to make flowers. Then it takes here usually 2,5 to 3 months before tomatoes are ripe. How fast and well growing happens, depends about many matters, like sun, weather, pollination, soil, watering, fertilazing, possible pests... During the growing season, check your plants daily if there is any signs of pests or some other damages. You may see changes of leaf colors and it may tells that there is something too less or too much, like too much some fertilizer or too much watering or some disease. I had at the last summer bad luck with tomatoes as they got disease called grey mold and I lost almost all harvest. Only one variety was disease-resistant and gave me tomatoes. imsad But anyways, I´ll try again at this summer.

I sowed their seeds at beginning of April, so it takes months to get tomatoes. I usually re-potting them only once, for protect their roots. It´s always a big stress to plant to become re-potted but if you are carefull, it usually doesn´t harm them.

And yes, I know the feeling when I can go to my little garden and pick what ever I need for cooking. It´s very pleasant feeling. :statisfie

 

[MuslimInshallah]

Today the first time EVER i'm gonna make a salad using my own grown celery in'sha'Allah .

Assalaamu alaikum Simple Person,

Ma sha Allah!

If you like a celery taste in your salads, you might also like the herb "Lovage". It is leafy and easy to pick and throw into a salad.

May God Bless your plants, and Gift you with a bountiful and tasty harvest!

 

[sister herb]

Yep, lovage is a great herb. Here is mine:

(sister herb)

 

[fromelsewhere]

[MENTION=9623]sister herb[/MENTION]: now we know why you are called "sister herb".

 

[Simple_Person]

You have to be patient with your cucumbers as it may take few days before anything happens and the fruit starts to grow.

My tomato seedlings are still in pots indoors (weather is cold, specially at the nights, last night here was +4 C) but few of them have buds. I´ll plant them outdoors maybe at the next week and during few
weeks they will start to make flowers. Then it takes here usually 2,5 to 3 months before tomatoes are ripe. How fast and well growing happens, depends about many matters, like sun, weather, pollination, soil, watering, fertilazing, possible pests... During the growing season, check your plants daily if there is any signs of pests or some other damages. You may see changes of leaf colors and it may tells that there is something too less or too much, like too much some fertilizer or too much watering or some disease. I had at the last summer bad luck with tomatoes as they got disease called grey mold and I lost almost all harvest. Only one variety was disease-resistant and gave me tomatoes. imsad But anyways, I´ll try again at this summer.

I sowed their seeds at beginning of April, so it takes months to get tomatoes. I usually re-potting them only once, for protect their roots. It´s always a big stress to plant to become re-potted but if you are carefull, it usually doesn´t harm them.

And yes, I know the feeling when I can go to my little garden and pick what ever I need for cooking. It´s very pleasant feeling. :statisfie

Alhamdullilah I have no problem with having sabr when it comes to plants. All I always want to know is if I am doing it right. About sabr I am planning to sow tangerine and orange seeds and later on having 2 trees that have been grafted...tree with lemons + tangerines + oranges

However now I know about cucumbers I will in'sha'Allah leave then do their thing and yes I daily inspect then for diseases and other issues. So far alhamdulillah it all is going just fine. I also put some mulch to prevent the soil drying up because of the heat of the sun.

Btw, the Grey mold you were talking about..mold occurs when the plants don't get enough wind right?..like being inside or too many branches prevent the wind to reach the bottom of the plant. That is as far as I read/understood.

 

[sister herb]

Yes, being too close plants it´s one reason why plants may get that disease (grey mold). Maybe I was greed and planted them too close to get more tomatoes, :embarrass But anyways, we learn from the mistakes.

I posted this to other forum at the last year when my tomatoes got grey mold:

---------------------------

Unfortunately I found that at this year I have got grey mold (Botrytis cinerea) to the tomatoes. To the leaves and stems come grey/brown spots, leaves slowly die and tomatoes get rotten spots and they too will die. Nothing can be done at this stage, only to pick away infected leaves and hope the best or harvest all tomatoes as fast as possible and again hope the best.

Grey mold

Botrytis cinerea, the disease known as gray mold, strikes a range of perennials and annuals as a distinctively velvety, gray growth. On tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), the disease starts on stems and leaves, eventually rotting the tomatoes themselves while they are at the green stage. Because there is no real cure for gray mold, remedies are aimed at preventing the disease in the first place, or halting its progress.


Selective Planting

One remedy for ongoing gray mold infestations is to segregate tomato seedlings that show obvious signs of already having the disease from healthy tomato seedlings. Afflicted seedlings will have dead leaves or wounds on the stems. Destroy these plants rather than setting them in the ground. Additionally, where you plant can be as crucial as what you plant. Because fungal spores overwinter in the soil, it's best to grow tomatoes in a new spot from year to year so that the previous years' infection doesn't spread as rapidly.


Aggressive Pruning

Pruning your tomato plant is an especially effective remedy when gray mold is the disease plaguing it. That's because gray mold settles into dying or dead plant tissue first. Catching the disease at this stage may help you rid your tomato plant of gray mold altogether. Use clean pruning shears to cut away stems or foliage that have gray mold on them. After pruning, disinfect the shears by wiping the blades with hydrogen peroxide or chlorine bleach.


Slowing Spread

To lower the risk of your tomato getting grey mold, follow the garden practices that keep fungal spores from spreading. Wet leaves are most susceptible to gray mold and other plant disease. Water the soil around tomato plants, rather than their foliage, by using drip irrigation -- or simply by aiming your garden hose at the soil rather than the plants. Spacing tomatoes so that their foliage doesn't touch also helps lessen fungal spread. Finally, pick up any infected plant parts that have fallen to the ground, and remove them promptly.


Not only tomatoes are in danger. Grey mold is common on apples, grapes, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, beans, cucumber, courgettes, lettuce and tomatoes. It is also a problem for plants grown under glass, where conditions can be humid and overcrowded. It will infect Chrysanthemum, Cyclamen, Pelargonium, Primula and, in fact, most ornamental plants.

Grey mold damages on the stems:

On the leaves:

Fruits:

I had to uproot almost all tomatoes as they were too badly infected already. Only two 100s&1000s are left. Seems they might have some more resistant against grey mold. A lot of yellow leaves but mostly they aren´t as bad infected - at the least not yet.

It felt sad to throw away so many big tomatoes but they had already rotten spots on them.

--------------------------

 

[sister herb]

From my garden:

Bleeding heart:

Peppermint:

Anise hyssop:

Oregano:

 

[Simple_Person]

@sister herb

I am amazed how aggressive peppermint is. Around 11th of may, i brought some tomatoes to a friend of mine and took 1 cutting and 2 with roots. Planted them in my tangerine box and it is super aggressive. Because the wooden box was largely empty i just cut off half of the already exited plant and just put them right in the ground. A few days later it was already visible that it gave new leaves. From 1 cutting and 2 with roots..i now already have 4 extra plants. This all within 1 month..and the summer hasn't even started. Although we've had a lot of sun in the recent 2 weeks.

I give them tea that is left (nitrogen = 4) and also sprinkled some coffee grounds (nitrogen = 2)..as that is good for leave growth. I'm getting the hang of it .

Is the bleeding heart just a flower? I tend to want to have plants/flowers/trees that benefit me in someway (fruits, attracting bees or keeping away mosquitoes). I'm not in to just for the beauty of it.

Also ever thought about having Aloe Vera plant? I am planning to also sow one as it contains a lot vitamins for eating and also good for the skin.

 

[sister herb]

Yes, mints in general are very aggressive herbs. I have also spearmint and catmint. They spread all over the garden like grazy. Nothing stops them. They have decided to invade all the world...

Anyways, I have always ingredients for the mint tea.

Bleeding heart is flowering bush. It´s slightly toxic so it´s only for beauty.

I haven´t tried aloe vera, but why not if I find it somewhere. I read that some of its varieties might not be good to use and might be also toxic, so be careful when you choose yours.

 

[Simple_Person]

Yes, mints in general are very aggressive herbs. I have also spearmint and catmint. They spread all over the garden like grazy. Nothing stops them. They have decided to invade all the world...

Anyways, I have always ingredients for the mint tea.

Bleeding heart is flowering bush. It´s slightly toxic so it´s only for beauty.

I haven´t tried aloe vera, but why not if I find it somewhere. I read that some of its varieties might not be good to use and might be also toxic, so be careful when you choose yours.

When i saw this uncle cutting the aloe vera..i wanted to also have those .. They might become laxative. Why not..time to time..very good for one's intestines ;D

 

[sister herb]

From my garden at this morning:

Anise hyssop:

Basil, behind red mountain spinach:

Chives start to flower:

Grape fruit mint (or then it´s catnip mint but cats aren´t fancy to it):

Spearmint:

Mojito mint:

I bought new mint but seller didn´t know what it´s variety is:

It´s then "the mysterious mint".


Oregano (at the left sage):

Parsley:

Peppermint and hyssop:

Rosemary:

Lettuces grow in the frame:

Yellow zucchini:

Part of the herb garden:

 

[Simple_Person]

From my garden at this morning:

Anise hyssop:

Basil, behind red mountain spinach:

Chives start to flower:

Grape fruit mint (or then it´s catnip mint but cats aren´t fancy to it):

Spearmint:

Mojito mint:

I bought new mint but seller didn´t know what it´s variety is:

It´s then "the mysterious mint".


Oregano (at the left sage):

Parsley:

Peppermint and hyssop:

Rosemary:

Lettuces grow in the frame:

Yellow zucchini:

Part of the herb garden:

WAIT JUST A MINUTE...!!..Grape fruit mint??? :Emoji38:

Are YOU saying that i can get these kind of varieties ..grow them ..make tea out of them..ALL NATURAL?? Instead of getting those chemical poison at the store to have some kind of flavor to my tea?

I also have made some mistakes with my super sweet 100 cherry tomatoes :Emoji8: but also with the other 2 varieties. I was so eager with super sweet 100 to get off the suckers and flowers so the plant could concentrate on growing leaves and roots..that i even took those tiny flowers off with it..the little growing stem. I later on saw that 1 sucker was growing like crazy and thought all the energy was going to the sucker instead of the main steam. I took that sucker off, so now the plant has 1 little sucker at the top but it seems like it is growing in such slow-mode as if it is not growing. You think it will be fine? It is already like 90 cm and i am thinking of giving it the ability to grow until 220 cm.

With the tomato mix and moneymaker, both alhamdulillah have flowers and both are around 80-90 cm with their first flower (because i was pulling off the flowers).

I have learned my lesson the hard way. For next season in'sha'Allah i will let each tomato plant have 1 sucker + main stem for more fruit also let the sucker already grow when the main stem is about 20 cm. With it, after growing about 20 cm, i will leave all the flowers to grow.

Also, my little paris cucumbers, i have now number 4 (yellow cucumber)..although i pollinated them myself. The recent days have been some weather change and i had ONLY female-flowers, but almost no male flowers. Is it also normal that cucumber plants grow a second stem? Because i have that with my little paris cucumber plant.