If you had a garden space, what would you plant?

[graciegirl]

Or what do you plant now in your yard?

In our backyard in a tiny plot we had tomatoes, and a few herbs.

The tomatoes were better the first year than the second. I improved the soil for next year. I am thinking about lettuce and maybe some beans?

Who has had good success? Share with us.

I don't think I need a big garden offsite, just a few fun things to cultivate and harvest out the back door or in some pots on the lanai.

[l2ridehd]

I planted three very tiny (under 4 inches tall single sprout) rosemary bushes. They are now each 3 feet by three feet and a beautiful shrub. Next time I am down I am going to ask everyone to come by with snips and a zip lock bag before they take over the yard. I bet I could cut a thousand sprigs 8 inches long off them.

[babbs455]

Gracie I put a fall garden in for the past 5 or 6 years. I compost all year long for great soil to add to the garden. This year I had sweet corn, green beans, tomatoes, yellow and zuchinni squash, cabbage, lettuce, green onions, collards, green peppers and kale.
This years garden was the best..takes a few years for the soil to get good...everything did well except the squash...the bugs are hard to keep off them. I won't do corn again too hard to keep the worms off them and a hassle. All in all the freezer is stocked up.. Don't do spring or summer gardens just too dang hot.

[babbs455]

and cucumbers can't forget the cucumbers..i made so many jars of bread and butter pickles I got sick of them lol!! good luck!

[mickey100]

Aren't there deed restrictions prohibiting private garden plots particularly south of Rt. 466? I know some people sneak in a few vegetables between their legal shrubbery, or they can hide them behind walls in a courtyard villa, but I'm not sure planting something in a raised bed, for example, behind a designer home would be technically allowed. I believe you are allowed to have things in pots.

[l2ridehd]

and cucumbers can't forget the cucumbers..i made so many jars of bread and butter pickles I got sick of them lol!! good luck!

When you say "fall garden", what time of year do you plant things?

[Happydaz]

I have a neighbor in our designer neighborhood and she was considering putting in a raised bed vegetable garden. I mentioned to her that she might want to check the covenants as I thought they may not permit a vegetable garden. She said she was putting it out back, but I think she failed to see that this was right behind her neighbor 's lanai. There is nothing sloppier looking than a late season vegetable garden. Then you have the trellises and all the rest of the stuff that looks really tacky in a nice neighborhood. I think people hide a tomato or two in the shrub border, but more than that is inconsiderate of your neighbors. I have gardened for over forty years and I would definitely seek an alternative site such as a community garden to raise my veggies and herbs.

[mickey100]

I have a neighbor in our designer neighborhood and she was considering putting in a raised bed vegetable garden. I mentioned to her that she might want to check the covenants as I thought they may not permit a vegetable garden. She said she was putting it out back, but I think she failed to see that this was right behind her neighbor 's lanai. There is nothing sloppier looking than a late season vegetable garden. Then you have the trellises and all the rest of the stuff that looks really tacky in a nice neighborhood. I think people hide a tomato or two in the shrub border, but more than that is inconsiderate of your neighbors. I have gardened for over forty years and I would definitely seek an alternative site such as a community garden to raise my veggies and herbs.

For newbies or persons considering buying, if you are a gardener and considering putting in a veggie garden, you really need to check the deed restrictions. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that they are not allowed, at least in villages south of 466. If you have a neighbor that complains and reports you, you could be out of luck as far as your garden. I believe container plantings are allowed. I agree Happydaz, gardens can get really sloppy looking.

[Ohiogirl]

Gracie I put a fall garden in for the past 5 or 6 years. I compost all year long for great soil to add to the garden. This year I had sweet corn, green beans, tomatoes, yellow and zuchinni squash, cabbage, lettuce, green onions, collards, green peppers and kale.
This years garden was the best..takes a few years for the soil to get good...everything did well except the squash...the bugs are hard to keep off them. I won't do corn again too hard to keep the worms off them and a hassle. All in all the freezer is stocked up.. Don't do spring or summer gardens just too dang hot.

Wow - I am way impressed! Do you plant in August or when?

We are snowbirds and don't get back till mid Sept, at least. This year I planted 1 tomato (late, probably in Oct). and it is about 2.5 ft high, with blossoms, no fruit yet. I have it in a cage so I can cover it easily (I hope).

I have a pot with 4 herbs, planted from seed - doing great, as always (parsley, dill, cilantro and basil). Have had several cuttings of basil and parsley, and one of dill and cilantro. Rosemary growing in ground, not sure why it's not huge like everyone else's, but I use it a lot for cooking. Also have chives in ground, and Greek oregano (plant sunk in ground, but still escaping) and mint (same thing).

I have romaine lettuce and mescaline in window boxes and pots (on the patio, not the windows). Have done radishes also in prior years, will probably plant more this weekend. Had bigger romaine when planted in the ground, but have a rabbit problem here if unlucky.

I only get 4 hours of so of full sun on the side patio mostly of a CYV. Sun is so intense here I think things still do well. Amazing how easy it is to grow herbs from seed.

[graciegirl]

I have a neighbor in our designer neighborhood and she was considering putting in a raised bed vegetable garden. I mentioned to her that she might want to check the covenants as I thought they may not permit a vegetable garden. She said she was putting it out back, but I think she failed to see that this was right behind her neighbor 's lanai. There is nothing sloppier looking than a late season vegetable garden. Then you have the trellises and all the rest of the stuff that looks really tacky in a nice neighborhood. I think people hide a tomato or two in the shrub border, but more than that is inconsiderate of your neighbors. I have gardened for over forty years and I would definitely seek an alternative site such as a community garden to raise my veggies and herbs.

I agree.

[skyguy79]

Gracie, if I had the space I'd plant a money tree and use it's blossoms to buy the six of you a really nice Christmas present!

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/christmas/xmas-wave-smiley-emoticon.gif

[mpfrancese]

Heard "grey water" from sprinklers should not be used for vegetables....or I should say for eating the vegetables that are watered with the grey water. Is that true?

[ricklowe]

For those of you considering gardening there is a meeting this Tuesday at 10 AM off site at Exterior Spaces Garden center. We're discussing these very topics as well as the beginning of a community garden there should be quite a few TV residence in attendance. The location does not have golf cart access but is within a mile of the Buffalo Ridge Walmart.

[rayschic]

I have rosemary and basil. I also planted avocado pits in containers about two years ago. It takes 3-5 years to get fruit so i don't know yet if I will have any. I love guacamole so I hope so.

[babbs455]

for a fall garden I started planting in August...

[rayschic]

Aren't there deed restrictions prohibiting private garden plots particularly south of Rt. 466? I know some people sneak in a few vegetables between their legal shrubbery, or they can hide them behind walls in a courtyard villa, but I'm not sure planting something in a raised bed, for example, behind a designer home would be technically allowed. I believe you are allowed to have things in pots.

Just checked my deed restrictions and there is nothing mentioned in there about this issue.
I live North of 466 in a Courtyard villa. You can use this link to check your deed restrictions.

Village Community Development Districts (http://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/download.aspx)

[rayschic]

Heard "grey water" from sprinklers should not be used for vegetables....or I should say for eating the vegetables that are watered with the grey water. Is that true?

Irrigation water (south of 466) should only be used for irrigation. It's in the deed restrictions which you can find here.
Village Community Development Districts (http://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/download.aspx)


North of 466, we only have one meter. South of 466, you have two meters, potable and non-potable water

[mickey100]

Just checked my deed restrictions and there is nothing mentioned in there about this issue.
I live North of 466 in a Courtyard villa. You can use this link to check your deed restrictions.

Village Community Development Districts (http://www.districtgov.org/departments/community-standards/download.aspx)

The restrictions are much less north of 466. I wouldn't expect there to be a problem. But I remember we were discussing it playing golf one time,and one of the people mentioned that there were restrictions south of 466, and that one of their neighbors had turned them in for a tomato plant. I kind of remember reading that in writing too, but that was some time ago.

The nice thing about the proposed community garden plots (see the other thread on community garden) is that you can plant things where you need more space, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, etc. multiple tomato plants if you want to do some canning, etc. If you just have a tomato plant or two or some herbs, you can hide them in the shrubbery or put in pots and most likely get away with it no matter where you live, unless your neighbors turn you in.

[TerriScott]

Why in the world would your neighbor turn you in for a tomato plant. for heavens sake i thought we were adults not children.

[rayschic]

Why in the world would your neighbor turn you in for a tomato plant. for heavens sake i thought we were adults not children.

My last home was a ranch and my neighbors put a garden in their back yard. It was about 12'Lx6'Wx3'H Very large but nobody complained because they were such a nice couple and were always out working in their garden. I don't think any of the neighbors even considered complaining.

[travelguy]

Wow - I am way impressed! Do you plant in August or when?

We are snowbirds and don't get back till mid Sept, at least. This year I planted 1 tomato (late, probably in Oct). and it is about 2.5 ft high, with blossoms, no fruit yet. I have it in a cage so I can cover it easily (I hope).

I have a pot with 4 herbs, planted from seed - doing great, as always (parsley, dill, cilantro and basil). Have had several cuttings of basil and parsley, and one of dill and cilantro. Rosemary growing in ground, not sure why it's not huge like everyone else's, but I use it a lot for cooking. Also have chives in ground, and Greek oregano (plant sunk in ground, but still escaping) and mint (same thing).

I have romaine lettuce and mescaline in window boxes and pots (on the patio, not the windows). Have done radishes also in prior years, will probably plant more this weekend. Had bigger romaine when planted in the ground, but have a rabbit problem here if unlucky.

I only get 4 hours of so of full sun on the side patio mostly of a CYV. Sun is so intense here I think things still do well. Amazing how easy it is to grow herbs from seed.

I don't think that you have "mescaline" in your window boxes; maybe mesclun mix (which are various tender greens for salads) but definitely not mescaline. There is a BIG difference!
:a040: