Anyone else grow their own veg ?

[alleycat]

I don't do as much as I would like, but I do have pumpkin, eggplants, onions, chillis, sweet basil, lemon grass, pineapples, potatoes, capsicum and tomatoes in at the moment. Starting to get a new bed ready to plant in the near future. Oh better not forget the pawpaw trees, 1 has some fruit just starting.
My lemon tree, orange tree, and apple trees haven't had any fruit yet. In summer I get mangoes from my neighbour

 

[Damo]

Definitely want to at least try to grow my own produce or at least some of it, do you use pesticide?

Sounds like you have your hands full

 

[alleycat]

No I don't use any pesticides, I'm really lucky with having plenty of skinks, wild birds and green tree frogs that look after most of the pests. Lady birds take care of the aphids and we get a few wasps as well that don't mind cleaning up. It gets a bit out of control sometimes, but when we get a build of pests a week or 2 and their natural predators come in. Just have to be patient, which is easier said than done when the green ants are biting, or the other ants are farming aphids in my vegie patch.
I don't get as much outside time as I'd like, M.I.L is very frail and wobbly on her feet and has the start of dementia so most of my time is looking after her. We have a high set house, 14 stairs at the back door and 12 at the front which doesn't make access easy.

 

[Christine]

The last year or so I've been attempting to grow a few things for the purpose of consumption, though what I really need for all my plants is an allotment! Granted, the most success I've had is with condiment-type things, such as flat-leaf parsley and thyme.

The encroach of winter is going to stall a few of my other projects and I may have to take a few things indoors to save them, but one thing I've been meaning to grow again are beef tomatoes - best tomatoes I've ever tasted, irony aside!

Anyway, my latest project is a 'Pink Lady' apple shoot grown from a seed (how many years until I get apples, lol? )

 

[alleycat]

Just about ready to give up on my apple tree from seed, after 8 years I don't think the tropics are the right place to expect anything from it. Might as well plant another native, might try a Lilly Pilly,the birds and possums love them and any fruit I manage to harvest can be used for jams and cordials. My poor garden is a wasteland at the moment, a couple of feral tomato plants, 2 chili bushes, 1 eggplant and a couple of pineapples. I haven't spent more than 15 minutes outside for 6 weeks. Mum had a fall and broke her wrist. Talk about frustrated. Guess we'll just muddle along and make do with what we are dealt.

 

[alleycat]

I have gone to war with one of my neighbours, I wondered why some of my plants were dying, large areas of bare earth along the water way down the backyard. I caught him spraying weed killer in my yard. Oh I am furious, but compared to 2 days ago I'm fairly sane. My fists are still sore from punching the wall,fence and anything else that I could reach. Poor neighbours from other side and over the back copped an ear full of swear words that should not be spoken. Ruined my reputation for being a nice quiet peaceful person. Police can't do much, my word against his, I will have pay back. Just have to be smart about it, but I will get him. I don't mind how long it takes .

 

[Tick]

I had a 'helpful friendly' neighbour spray my entire fence line about a year ago; had a bit of a grump at him, but he thought he was helping so didn't get too mad. He didn't do it again, but the frogs and such are only just starting to return now.

 

[alleycat]

It wasn't the first time he had been in my yard, his excuse was he wanted to be helpful, but he doesn't like my wild way of gardening and thinks all plants have to useful or dead. I'm beginning to think all the plants I have lost over the years have been his fault.
I have moved all my compost bins and mulch piles over along his fence line which I know he hates, then I put a security camera in a window looking into the yard, pointed it out to him and said next time I will have proof and will have him charged. If I'm lucky the problem is solved for a while.
Had a lot of rain the last few days and where all the plants died in and near the water way the soil has washed away, any residue is now washed into the river and heading out to the Great Barrier Reef.
Just have to patient while I wait for all the critters to re establish themselves now. Definitely going to plant some more native trees to encourage possums and flying foxes to my yard.

 

[Veganite]

I thought I'd resurrect this old thread, seeing as it's gardening season. I do a bit of gardening all year round, as I have a greenhouse, but I do love springtime.

I'm doing lots of different salad greens, radishes, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, peas, beans, and some squash. I have half a bed just for kale. I do some herbs outdoors, and some in the greenhouse, as well as some tomatoes, and bell and hot peppers.

I also have several fruit trees - prune plums, Anjou pears, red seedless grapes, and the most amazing apple tree ever. I have a huge strawberry bed that will be bearing fruit very soon. We've had some really nice weather here, which has helped. I also have lots of blackberries that grow around my yard, but that's later in the summer. I am thinking about putting in a cherry and a fig tree next. I love love love cherries! They're probably my favorite fruit, aside from melons when they're in season and sweet. I love most fruit, but cherries definitely!

I have room in my yard for another bed. I'm tempted, but four beds is already a lot of work...a lot of back breaking work, I might add. It is worth the effort, as far as I'm concerned. There is something kinda therapeutic about digging in the dirt.


*

 

[Nekodaiden]

I grow hydroponic lettuce, occasionally some potatoes, and I have a few fruit trees. In the past I've grown quinoa and broccoli, leek and spring onion. Using more of the land I have for growing things I consume is something I'd like to do more of...although sometimes lack of knowledge of what to plant/when and other things like soil make up, recognizing plant deficiencies etc has hindered me in the past. It's approaching winter in Australia, so I'm not planting anything outdoors atm. Next spring one of the items I want to grow is grapes.

 

[Veganite]

Don't you think winter should be a four letter word? *laughs* I'm really choked my 18 year old hibiscus plant didn't survive this last winter. While we do have a milder climate here on the island, we still have a cold winter, and the hibiscus never liked it from the get go...even in the greenhouse. Sadly after 18 years it died. Sucks!

The nice thing about the Internet is you can find a wealth a information on gardening, troubleshooting issues with various problems that come up. Everything from soil acidity to various natural pest controls, composting, etc.

My worst enemy in my yard is the deer. My yard is not easily accessed, but they still find a way in. I saw one last year leaping over a huge hedge when I came out into the yard and startled it. My main garden beds are well protected with effective fencing, but my fruit trees take a hit from deer and raccoons every year, sadly. I don't mind sharing, but they're quite destructive and wasteful. The grounder apples & pears do make good apple/pear sauce though.