"Hi!', to all SGC members. I'm back after a rather long absence to get the gardens ready for our daughter's wedding on June 20th. I don't know how we were so fortunate to have one of the very few, non-drizzly days this month but we send our thanks to 'Mother Nature' for it.
The Fine Gardening newsletters have been arriving in my e-mail and this article on pruning tomatoes is a timely one. I plant tomatoes every summer, usually too many of them, and think that just maybe this is the year I'll find a way to stake them so they don't fall over- and every year I'm on a treasure hunt to find those red orbs under a mass of foliage! After learning how to prune them, check out the article on staking. I'm hoping one of these methods will work for me this year! Oh, and what is determinate and indeterminate and VFFNTA, anyway?
I've heard of the benefits of using compost tea and have thought about trying it (this is another 'maybe this year!) These instructions seem more complicated than others I've read. Has anyone done this and what has your experience been ? (To send your reply- click on 'comments' at end of post)
Garden design has always interested me-the shapes, textures and colors that work together to create those lovely magazine pictures. There's a great article in this month's newsletter about using flower shapes to provide seasonal garden interest. For greatest impact- the big 'wow' factor- try incorporating some globes and spires into your garden. The giant alliums come to my mind and the punctuation points of Veronicastrum and others.
It's been a rainy June- that's an understatement-with new challenges for gardeners. How about sharing your experience? What plants have flourished in your garden and grown into green giants and which ones have shrunken into moldy messes ? How's your vegie garden doing? My broccoli plants look like something you'd find in Jurassic Park and no cabbage worms either! Click on 'comments' , at the end of this posting, to tell your story.
My garden is begging for sun and I am too. I have a horrible slug infestation. I tried putting out slug bait but it got moldy and didn't work. I've resorted to picking the slugs by hand every day. Disgusting, but I think I'm beginng to see less of them every day.
My upside down tomato planters are doing really well, however my eggplants have not grown an inch in the last month.
Posted by: Joanne Geneva | July 01, 2009 at 05:52 PM