*March Gardening Thread*

[Tris]

I'm just going to start one since it hasn't started yet

What are your plans for march? What are you going to start? Any pics? Fun tricks/ ideas/ plans?

[3lilbubs]

oh thank you... gosh March already!! Spring is coming so fast this year! I've started my herbs, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, asparagus, artichoke.. there may be more I can't think of. It's sprouting already! I'm fencing in my garden this week and I'll put up the peas trellis and get them planted. More lettuce too. I don't know where I'm going to plant my carrots. The plot I was going to use won't work and the raised bed that I have groomed for the root crops is currently holding slow-growing yellow onions. ERRR! I may have to make those a fall crop only, again.

My berries are starting to push out some new leaves, need to fertilize them this week. Exciting! The kids and I picked up two blueberry bushes and a package of the green zinnia flower seeds at the store yesterday.

[Tris]

Wow on your sprouts!!
I'm going to start in two weeks, I've got to build my raised beds and do the dirt mix, and go buy my seeds. I'm really excited

[AcrossTheUniverse]

Hi! Can I join? I planted my first ever garden yesterday! We did pumpkin, watermelon, zucchini, cucumber, & spaghetti squash in the ground. I'm starting some tomatoes and bell peppers inside and then those are going to hang on our patio in topsy turveys we got super cheap. I'm planning a container herb garden and I have some green beans that I am going to do in a container as well. I'd love to do other veggies and maybe some strawberries but I am knew to this and wasn't sure what to plant in my area (Arizona) so I just followed the recommendations of a website I found.

Heather- Wife to 1, Mom to 5!
80lbs lost & counting!
Sent using DS Forum

[3lilbubs]

There's some good info here mama!
http://www.communitygardensoftucson.org/main/

I found it a while back when I was trying to figure out how to maintain my garden here (similar growing conditions). The best desert growing tactics I've found are deep (sunken) garden beds as opposed to raised beds, and heavy mulching with leaves, straw and compost like in the "Back to Eden" garden method. I also found soaker hoses buried a few inches under straw to retain the moisture and require far less watering during the season. Fair warning, you are likely going to need shade cloth over anything other than maybe tomatoes during the hottest months of the year (Jul/aug/sept) as the intense sun and dry heat we get sunburns our plants and makes them droop. Good luck!!

[Marianna1988]

Originally Posted by Tris I'm just going to start one since it hasn't started yet What are your plans for march? What are you going to start? Any pics? Fun tricks/ ideas/ plans?

I'm so ready to start! I don't know when we move n though. But my DH has already been instructed he will be making at least one raised bed, as well as some hanging planter things I saw on Facebook, to maximize our patio space. I think I'm going to buy some topsy turvy things too. We have 3 floors in the house we want to rent, with a large patio on both the second and 3rd floors. I'm not sure what to grow yet. Definitely for sure at least 6 or 8 tomato plants (maybe more, we LOVE tomatoes!!), a couple bell pepper plants and a jalapeño, a cucumber or two, zucchini, watermelon, and maybe lettuce if there's a nice shaded corner. Oh, and some basil, rosemary, and cilantro. Is eggplant a summer crop?

[3lilbubs]

You could start ALL of that in 5 gal pots and by the time you move, they'll be ready to put in the bed! Ask at a garden center if you can buy their used black plastic pots. Yes, eggplant is a summer crop, start it at the same time as your tomatoes. I think I'm going to put a few herbs outside but they did so beautifully well indoors and I love having the greenery... that I think mine will be half indoors/half out from now on. Having them right in my kitchen makes me use them a heck of a lot more too.

[Marianna1988]

Originally Posted by 3lilbubs You could start ALL of that in 5 gal pots and by the time you move, they'll be ready to put in the bed! Ask at a garden center if you can buy their used black plastic pots. Yes, eggplant is a summer crop, start it at the same time as your tomatoes. I think I'm going to put a few herbs outside but they did so beautifully well indoors and I love having the greenery... that I think mine will be half indoors/half out from now on. Having them right in my kitchen makes me use them a heck of a lot more too.

We are still in TLA (basically a hotel). Not really any sun to start anything, since we only have 2 windows and we don't know how long we'll be without housing. The house we wanted fell through

[Tris]

Oh no Marianna how frustrating!

[AcrossTheUniverse]

Originally Posted by 3lilbubs There's some good info here mama! http://www.communitygardensoftucson.org/main/ I found it a while back when I was trying to figure out how to maintain my garden here (similar growing conditions). The best desert growing tactics I've found are deep (sunken) garden beds as opposed to raised beds, and heavy mulching with leaves, straw and compost like in the "Back to Eden" garden method. I also found soaker hoses buried a few inches under straw to retain the moisture and require far less watering during the season. Fair warning, you are likely going to need shade cloth over anything other than maybe tomatoes during the hottest months of the year (Jul/aug/sept) as the intense sun and dry heat we get sunburns our plants and makes them droop. Good luck!!

Thank you for the tips!

Heather- Wife to 1, Mom to 5!
80lbs lost & counting!
Sent using DS Forum