The previous garden thread was started back in 2017, and had several good years. I figured it was time to start a new one. I thought maybe this time it should be a year-long thread, at least: I remembered we have some members in the Southern Hemisphere; also, it could be fun to discuss our endeavors with indoor gardening.
So, then:
A few years ago, I had a community garden plot ~2 miles away from my home. I was one of maybe 10 people who had plots there. Someone planted kale in their plot and didn't harvest one of the plants; that winter turned out to be uncommonly mild, and it survived. The next spring it reumed growing and we had a 6-foot-tall kale plant blooming its little sprays of tiny yellow flowers and setting seeds. I collected some seeds, and have been growing The Descendants Of Mighty Kalezilla since then. Last year's kale didn't survive the winter, though- so if I want to keep this strain going, I'll have to overwinter a few plants indoors this year. The seeds are sprouting, but the germination rate seems quite poor and I don't think the seeds will be viable beyond this year. (Fortunately, they haven't been growing nearly as big at my place. I wonder if there is radioactive waste or something buried in that community garden plot?...)
I also have been growing Romano-style pole beans. Not only are those thick pods delicious- you can let them ripen fully, harvest, and dry them as a sort of navy-type bean, saving some for planting. I bought some sweet corn seeds for the beans to grow with, as well as hot chili seeds. Bush-type black beans and garlic will round things out.
For perennial herbs, I have peppermint and chives growing in-between the house foundation and the surrounding sidewalk. If the chives bloom again, I might collect some of the seeds and try to start some of them to grow indoors, although the clump in the yard has been doing well. Peppermint needs hardly any care- except maybe to be picked when it starts trying to take over the yard. It smells nice and makes a great tea, though. Also, mice are supposed to dislike it. I don't have a mouse problem... yet...
So, then:
A few years ago, I had a community garden plot ~2 miles away from my home. I was one of maybe 10 people who had plots there. Someone planted kale in their plot and didn't harvest one of the plants; that winter turned out to be uncommonly mild, and it survived. The next spring it reumed growing and we had a 6-foot-tall kale plant blooming its little sprays of tiny yellow flowers and setting seeds. I collected some seeds, and have been growing The Descendants Of Mighty Kalezilla since then. Last year's kale didn't survive the winter, though- so if I want to keep this strain going, I'll have to overwinter a few plants indoors this year. The seeds are sprouting, but the germination rate seems quite poor and I don't think the seeds will be viable beyond this year. (Fortunately, they haven't been growing nearly as big at my place. I wonder if there is radioactive waste or something buried in that community garden plot?...)
I also have been growing Romano-style pole beans. Not only are those thick pods delicious- you can let them ripen fully, harvest, and dry them as a sort of navy-type bean, saving some for planting. I bought some sweet corn seeds for the beans to grow with, as well as hot chili seeds. Bush-type black beans and garlic will round things out.
For perennial herbs, I have peppermint and chives growing in-between the house foundation and the surrounding sidewalk. If the chives bloom again, I might collect some of the seeds and try to start some of them to grow indoors, although the clump in the yard has been doing well. Peppermint needs hardly any care- except maybe to be picked when it starts trying to take over the yard. It smells nice and makes a great tea, though. Also, mice are supposed to dislike it. I don't have a mouse problem... yet...
